Choosing a conventional submarine for ocean operations

When procuring a new conventional submarine, would the panel prefer a Japanese or South Korean design?

Both Japanese and Korean boats are favoured for ocean operations. The preference for Korea rests on expected habitability, while Swedish boats receive separate praise for their quietness.

For work in the Atlantic, the discussion favours a larger conventional submarine. German designs are considered more constrained outside the Baltic, with Sweden suggested as another European option for wider operations. The Korean preference concerns expected room for a tall person, and is qualified by visits to Japanese submarines that were more comfortable than anticipated. A Finnish participant separately describes Swedish boats as difficult to locate with passive hydrophones. Active sonar can pinpoint such a contact, but its transmission reveals the searching vessel's position.