ABSTRACT
This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters. The part focuses on attack submarines, served in the US Navy from 1954 until 1983. Thus US naval planners today are faced with a Soviet submarine force that remains much larger than our own. Further, Soviet submarines provide the benchmark against which our own antisubmarine programs and performance must be measured. This Soviet submarine fleet, in conjunction with the rest of the Soviet Navy, serves as the focal point for the US maritime strategy and the development of our submarine force. To a considerable degree, the emphasis on submarine warfare has been stimulated by the efforts of the Soviet Union to maintain the largest submarine force ever in existence during peactime. The Soviets appear to have recognized the paramount importance of quieting their submarines to maximize their effectiveness and survivability against Western antisubmarine warfare forces.
