There's a Case for Diesel
Proceedings Magazine - June 2018
144/6/1,384
By Ensigns Michael Walker and Austin Krusz, U.S.
Since the USS Nautilus (SSN-571) set sail in 1954, nuclear power has been the defining characteristic of the U.S. Navy’s undersea dominance. The performance advantages of nuclear submarines over conventional, diesel-electric submarines are considerable, however force structure, procurement, and fiscal sustainability have created challenges for total reliance on nuclear power. Meanwhile, rapid strategic and technological changes, such as the shift to littoral conflict or the extreme stealth of air independent propulsion (AIP) submarines, have eroded the nuclear advantage. The U.S. Navy would do well to consider augmenting its current submarine force with quiet, inexpensive, and highly capable diesel-electric submarines.
https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2018-06/theres-case-diesel
