ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses that in understanding the desire to produce a fleet submarine it is the prevailing corporate culture, rather than technological determinism or tactical and operational considerations. It look at the prevailing corporate culture as typified by the desire for a decisive battle together with the dominance of the battleship and battlefleet as demonstrated by the Navy's infatuation with 'fleetwork'. The Royal Navy's desire to ensure command of the sea, preferably by the destruction of the enemy fleet in a decisive battle, played a significant part in naval culture prior to and during the First World War. By concentrating attention on the need for offensive action, it contributed to the rejection of a strategy that was erroneously seen as being too defensive in nature, that of flotilla defence, a posture that would have played to the strengths of the Royal Navy's submarines, and also have integrated them at an operational and strategic level.
