[AO1_AW_SW_USN]

Originally Posted by Tonnage_Ace

Due to the fact that a modern submarine's mission is to remain undetected and covert until given the order to fire their missiles, as well as conduct spying missions, isn't it a little wierd that subs have gotten bigger and bigger? I mean, the IXD2 is easier to detect than a VIIC with ASDIC right? What did the Kursk have in the way of stealth if it wanted to get within firing range, off the US coast? Instead of having one very large sub carrying many warheads, wouldn't it make better sense having many, slim, smaller subs moving like slivers through America's sonar screens?

It didn't matter if they were miget submarines. Up until about 5 years ago the Soviets were notorious for putting noisy propulsion plants in their SSNs and SSBNs. Our Los Angles Class and the British Trafalgar Class SSNs could pick them up, track and record each system's unique signatures and follow them without being detected themselves.

The reason why these boats are getting bigger and bigger is because of two main reasons: The systems and technology increases the demand for manning the stations to operate them; and secondly is the problem that has plagued submariners since it's conception and that's human and supply endurance.