Originally Posted by
Bengo
Could someone please explain why the USN might now have an operational requirement for a non-nuclear boat? Is there a threat that only a non nuclear boat can deal with?
There is a view, which I share, that SSKs are better suited to operations in the littoral environment particularly in constrained waters. Modern SSKs are very different from the previous generations of slow boats with limited non-diesel endurance. My interpretation of Jordan Spector's thesis is that they are a much cheaper way to supplement the SSNs in roles that don't need their expensive capabilities.
To quote from the article:
Then there are the areas where these boats have the advantage—shallow, constrained waters in which their smaller size and displacement enable missions that would ground SSNs. Diesel-electric submarines can lurk quietly to conserve power and minimize detectability. Here, they can monitor traffic, gather intelligence, or lie in wait for targets while presenting minimal detection opportunities.
Such a capability would be invaluable in choke points such as the Taiwan Strait, Malacca Strait, Persian Gulf, Baltic Sea, Black Sea, or the Greenland, Iceland, and United Kingdom (GIUK) Gap, where water depths often fall below 60 meters. These are the tactics Russia employs with its diesel-electrics.