Since there is a snowflake's chance in hell of us ever getting nuclear submarines, I'm wondering what people think about some sort of fast, stealthy, long-ranged surface ship which is also submersible to shallow depths to improve on the capabilities of the Collins Class when it eventually retires. I'm thinking a 3000 tonne class ship with either multiple hulls or single hull with a hydrofoil, which can move into an AO at high speed (30kt+) on the surface, but which can submerge by flooding the hulls and patrol at low speed once in the AO. Armament would consist of lightweight torpedos fired from remotely piloted asw vehicles, VLS-launched SSM's, LACM's and SAM's and a gun. |