Re: The Future Navy Will Be Nuclear

On Tue, 21 Oct 2008 12:22:06 GMT, "Vaughn Simon"
<vaughnsimonHATESSPAM@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:


"BlackBeard" <spk_gbv@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:4042e757-54c7-4142-bb48-967de5564e63@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Not responding to anyone in particular.
I've always had a reaction when people mention the "shallow water Ops
advantage" of DE/AIP over SSN's. Sometimes it's a roll of the eyes or
a chuckle, other times nauseating.
The fact is that the USN SSN's have been doing all of the Ops that
people talk about being associated with the littorals, successfully,
for a very long time and will continue to do so.

It is also a fact that the USN invested in a baby SSN decades ago and it
turned out to be a dead end, a class of one.
http://www.geocities.com/weatherman5/tullibeehistory.html

There is a real danger in mistaking a lack of first-class
opposition for having chosen the best equipment. The ability to
beat up on weak opposition, recognition that that need will
continue in this assimetric environment and building boats to
meet the need does not imply that these boats are the best
possible. It means that they are thought to be good enough, and
cheaper overall than other choices.

Good drivers of conventional and AIP boats over the past few
decades have been either allies or friendly neutrals. That looks
like continuing for the next several years but somebody could get
smart. If Russia or China decided to build a small, very good
navy would some of the things that have been done still be
possible?

The USN has been careful to exercise against good opposition but
exercises have limits and there have been failures in exercises.
The evidence that nukes are always able to do any mission better
than any other type of boat is inconclusive at best.




Peter Skelton
.