Originally Posted by
SevenTwentySeven
Ok, let's paint a scenario shall we?
RAN takes out a Chinese destroyer with one of these you bewt new subs.
30 minutes later RAAF Tindal is a smoking hole in the ground.
If you are going to play with the big boys, carry a bigger stick. This is just embarrassing.
You've defeated your own argument. The Chinese can respond many more ways because of their sticks of all sizes. They don't have to nuke an airbase. In fact, they wouldn't, not when they have so many other options.
So if you accept that small sticks are useless without big sticks, then the Chinese strategy will be to "rule of thumb" you.
Most important, the more sticks you have mean more steps of escalation, which gives more time for diplomacy and world opinion to have effect.