ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to survey the prospects for improving the naval effectiveness of the Western Alliance through technology over the decade and reviews the inherent difficulties in that process. The most important use for Alliance attack submarines, both nuclear and operational, then, appears to be for counterforce against Soviet submarines through barrier operations. The major virtue of the strike cruiser concept is that it permits the use of more heavily armed—and armored—individual ships in a threatening offensive role, without the involvement of a complete task force. The use of separate attack elements within a numerically constrained navy may become a trend in naval warfare, if their cost and vulnerability can be kept within bounds. Many innovations in ship design are under evaluation and preliminary construction. These include hydrofoils, air cushion vehicles, surface effects ships, and twin submerged hulls.
