Conventional Submarines

The latest German conventional fuel submarine is described here. It is typical of modern non-nuclear attack submarines, particularly in that it can stay underwater for weeks, rather than a couple of days as older models did, and is quieter. It is about a fifth the size of the smallest of the American attack submarines and is much cheaper than American nuclear powered submarines. It poses both a more difficult job for American anti-submarine warfare forces when facing them in the hands of opponents, and a policy choice for U.S. military planners who could diversify the U.S. fleet by obtaining some for niches where they might be particularly useful.