SUBMARINES:
WEAPONS OF CHOICE IN FUTURE WARFARE
Lexington Institute,
December 2003
Executive Summary:
The cover of the ninth and last edition of “Soviet Military
Power,” published by the U.S. Department of Defense in 1990,
featured a picture of a Delta IV Ballistic missile submarine.
This formidable weapon system epitomized the profound nature of
the Soviet threat to the American homeland. Throughout the Cold
War, the United States relied on a fleet of attack submarines
to track, and if necessary destroy these Soviet behemoths. With
superbly trained and dedicated crews, this U.S. fleet was also
charged with protecting surface combatants and naval convoys from
the Soviet attack submarines. In 1990, the United States had 100
submarines available for these anti-submarine warfare (ASW) missions.
Because
of overwhelming importance of ASW, nuclear attack submarines (referred
to in naval nomenclature as SSNs – SS for submarine, N for
nuclear-powered) were associated with a relatively narrow role
in the ongoing drama of the Soviet-American competition. Consequently,
they were often viewed as quintessential “Cold War weapon.”
When the Soviet Union collapsed, some considered the SSN an anachronism.
Ironically,
the contrary has proven true. U.S. military planners and joint
force commanders are more aware than ever of the unique attributes
of submarines that make them extraordinarily useful tools. It
is a fleet that can operate in hostile shallow waters and influence
events onshore because it can strike land targets quickly, conduct
secret reconnaissance over extended periods and covertly deliver
special operations forces.
In
an even more dramatic reversal of Cold War roles, four Ohio-class
ballistic missile submarines- U.S. counterparts of the Delta IVs-
are being relieved of their strategic payload and are being refitted
for conventional missions. Designated as SSGNs, these four submarines
will have some of the same missions as SSNs, but with a much larger
payload.
As
the United States enters the twenty-first century and the era
of global terrorism, the American submarine fleet continues to
represent a capability far above and beyond that of any other
country. But this advantage cannot continue to be taken for granted.
Today’s attack submarine fleet is barely half the size it
was in 1990, and consists entirely of platforms initially designed
for the Cold War environment. While these facts do not constrain
the operational value of the fleet in any significant way today,
the continuing evolution of the threat against the American homeland
and U.S. interests abroad demand that the country continues to
invest in and deploy advanced submarine technology optimized for
the new environment. With adequate funding, robust training and
innovative operational thinking, the submarine fleet with continue
to be the navy’s “crown jewel” well into the
future.
The
initial draft of this report was written by Myra S. McKitrick.
All members of the Naval Strike Forum had an opportunity to review
and modify the final report.
To
view a full copy of “Submarines: Weapons of Choice in Future
Warfare”, please visit www.lexingtoninstitute.org/defense/pdf/submarines.pdf.
|
