Originally Posted by
SLXOwft
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.
It’s the old high/low mix argument again. There are some missions that the hardcore full fat SSNs are not suited to, especially littoral operations and some that the SSKs are not suited to, such as long range blue water operations. The Australians have been round this buoy a couple of times recently when looking at their requirements. The USN is probably the only navy in the world which could afford to operate both, but I doubt if they would, for all the reasons stated in the article.