RE: Suffren class SSN's. A good deal of the problems with working with the french was their attitude and work ethic. Going back there is not an option especially if we are not buying OTS but insisting on modified fitouts for weapon systems. If we need a strategic intelligence gathering capability SSN Attack boats are not the answer. As t…
RE: Suffren class SSN's. A good deal of the problems with working with the french was their attitude and work ethic. Going back there is not an option especially if we are not buying OTS but insisting on modified fitouts for weapon systems. If we need a strategic intelligence gathering capability SSN Attack boats are not the answer. As the name suggests they are for area denial. Forward basing of a diesel electric fleet with better battery tech (see Japanese) and AIP fitted with surveillance drones can do that job. Investment in emerging magnetic influence satellite technology is making the littoral space ever more transparent. A two class fleet can then have time to mature bringing on SSN's if we really need them (not just want them). The question is and remains : what capability are we really trying to achieve here? I would argue that given our geographical location and population; generating a asymmetric advantage is really what we need. Not sure that Billions of sunk cost on a SSN program is going to generate that.
RE: Suffren class SSN's. A good deal of the problems with working with the french was their attitude and work ethic. Going back there is not an option especially if we are not buying OTS but insisting on modified fitouts for weapon systems. If we need a strategic intelligence gathering capability SSN Attack boats are not the answer. As the name suggests they are for area denial. Forward basing of a diesel electric fleet with better battery tech (see Japanese) and AIP fitted with surveillance drones can do that job. Investment in emerging magnetic influence satellite technology is making the littoral space ever more transparent. A two class fleet can then have time to mature bringing on SSN's if we really need them (not just want them). The question is and remains : what capability are we really trying to achieve here? I would argue that given our geographical location and population; generating a asymmetric advantage is really what we need. Not sure that Billions of sunk cost on a SSN program is going to generate that.