Picture This, Literally: Merge a Submarine and a Battleship
With the advent of nuclear power and the guided missile, the seemingly goofy idea of a heavy surface-attack submarine became an impressive and chilling reality.
Here's What You Need to Remember: Navies around the world are arming their undersea forces with missiles filling the roles guns filled long ago—shore bombardment, anti-ship, and anti-air.
A century ago submarines presented as much of a challenge for naval war planners as drones do today. Like airborne and surface stealth decades later, underwater stealth was a game-changer—but how to use it?
Until the missile age, a wide variety of naval missions and vessels tried applying the submarine’s advantages to best use. From early on, planners envisioned submarines carrying out commerce raiding, minelaying, shore bombardment and intelligence collection—besides the sub’s obvious role in fleet attack.