As the Undersea Grows More Contested, U.S. Navy Subs are the Right Response
Published November 24, 2025
@ 6:09 pm
By Adm. James G. Foggo III and Steven Wills, Ph.D.
Once again, the undersea domain is growing contested, as it was during the Cold War. Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) promise to enhance the combat reach and responsiveness of existing U.S. nuclear submarines. They remain, however, a complementary capability, and not a substitute for the irreplaceable advantages of manned nuclear submarines.
The U.S. Navy should pursue the concept of teaming manned units — like attack submarines — with unmanned units as the best method to maximize combat potential.
A potent U.S. submarine force
Attack submarines (SSNs), including the Los Angeles, Seawolf and Virginia classes, are the Navy’s most agile and lethal undersea assets. Their missions include anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW) intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) and covert insertion of special operations forces (SOF).
With virtually unlimited range and endurance, SSNs can operate globally without surfacing, making them ideal for persistent presence in contested regions like the Indo-Pacific, where Chinese naval expansion poses a growing challenge.
https://defenseopinion.com/as-the-undersea-grows-more-contested-u-s-navy-subs-are-the-right-response/1090/
