Roger Keyes supported the fleet-submarine programme partly because he followed Italian developments. The idea was not confined to one navy: Germany, Italy, France, Britain, and others all saw value in a submarine able to maneuver with a battle fleet. Such a boat might convert a successful surface maneuver into a devastating torpedo ambush or rescue a fleet from an otherwise losing position. This shared interest explains why navies accepted difficult experiments instead of dismissing the concept after early speed shortfalls. The K class was one national answer to an international tactical problem.
Notable Point · 17:35-18:23
Fleet submarines were an international naval ambition
British work on fast submarines belonged to a wider German, Italian, French, and British search for a hidden weapon that could transform a fleet action.