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Originally Posted by goldorak
Submarines are designed to operate under the surface. It was the german type XXI which revolutionized and made a paradigm shift in the way submarines were designed and utilized in modern warfare. Up to then subs were basically surface ships, who went underwater only in the attack phase. Maybe raytheon should go back in time and try to sell surface to air missiles to us fleet subs. :rotfl:I don't see any utility for surface to air missiles on subs. To fire you have to be on the surface, and you become vulnerable to surface to surface missiles. Did you forget those existed ? The existence of a sub is to be underwater for extended periods of time, carry out the mission as stealthily as possibile, attack as stealthily as possibile etc... and never surface. Wasn't that the concept behind a submarine nuclear fleet ? Adding surface to air missiles just negates the purpose of a submarine.
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What your missing is the fact that, as clearly written in the article above, these systems aren't intended to be fired while surfaced, but rather designed to be launched from VLS tubes while submerged in the same manner that all other VLS ordinance in deployed.
Modern US defensive systems are constructed around a multilayered defensive strategy whenever possible. When threatened use X, if that fails use Y, if that fails as well use Z. If that fails your toast. Whenever you get to option Z your already in bad shape and things don't look good, but it does give another layer of defense and increases chances of surviving a hostile encounter.
Currently SSN defense against ASW aircraft threats aren't multilayered at all. There exist one, and only one option. If that fails there are no alternatives. Employing a system to provide last ditch alternatives to a 2billion dollar platform is not a bad thing if the option avails itself. Especially if all the hardware required already exist.