Submarine news

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Volkodav

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
Welcome to America’s ‘Nuclear Sponge’
I agree with the author, he points out the risks & costs of having stationary ICBMs. I would also add that China & N.Korea could also hit those but wouldn't unless we attack them 1st, or if they think we did or in the process of doing so. OTH, the ICBM & SSBN forces' costs must also include the TACAMO E-6B fleet & its components. Besides, the SSBN bases could also be attacked, killing many civilians nearby. They are big stationary targets just like the ICBMs in the article above. So, it makes even more sense to reduce the boomer fleet & convert the surplus subs to SSGNs. I would like to be proven wrong by someone who knows more, so please, enlighten me!
If someone starts targeting the USs nuclear arsenal with nucs the last thing they would be worried about is civilian casualties as they will probably be targeting the seat of government and major economic centres too. You are missing the point that SSBNs are inherently survivable and likely would only ever be caught in port if they were undergoing maintenance, other wise they would be crewed and ready to go or already on patrol and invisible.

I know TEL based ICBMs are of interest to you but that doesn't mean they are actually, better, cheaper or somehow more suitable than the in service options. You say you would like to be proven wrong by someone who knows more but you have chosen not to listen to the defence pros who have discussing this with you, some of who have considerable experience in submarines, armour, distributed operation etc. I feel if someone came on here and identified themselves as a boomer commander you would say they were biased, if an army / air force ballistic missile expert told you that using TELs was logistically challenging you would probably say they weren't abreast the latest developments etc. or were weren't up to speed on what the Russians, Chinese, etc. are doing.

I get the feeling this is your pet idea and you don't want to let go, I understand this as I believe the RANs need flat decks similar to Japans, but clutching straws and telling def pros how to suck eggs is just getting the mods off side.
 

Tsavo Lion

Banned Member
I'm not fixated on TELs, but the Russians & Chinese wouldn't be investing in them & BM trains if they were next to useless. Out of USN 14 boomers, at any given time, 4 are on their stations at sea, ~1-2 in transit to/from there, ~1-2 in exercises, with the 6-8 remaining on 2 bases in densely populated coastal GA & WA. Fat targets in a nuclear exchange! Even with just 1 there it would be worth taking it out! At least the Russian SLBMs can reach USA from their Kola & Kamchatka bases & home waters, while ours need to be in mid-ocean to reach Russia, N. Korea & China. This force is a very expensive "life insurance policy" for the American taxpayers because buying more SSBNs or putting SLBMs on Virginia Vs is a huge financial burden detrimental to more important shipbuilding programs & a poor strategic choice, respectively. 4 already + 6 more converted to SSGN is like having 30 extra SSNs in fire power- saving $Bs on building those 30 new SSNs. The bottom line: the era of MAD doctrine is over, just like the Cold War itself!
 

gf0012-aust

Grumpy Old Man
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
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This post is just turning into a circus event bereft of analysis in some quarters

Closed until further notice and ongoing discussion by the Mod Team
 
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