K-class submarines forced steam machinery into a fleet role

The K class was intended to give the battle fleet a submarine that could keep pace on the surface. Meeting that speed requirement led designers to place steam engines and their associated openings in a submarine hull. The design attempted to achieve capabilities decades before technology made them practical. Jackie Fisher was a rare senior opponent, while Jellicoe, Beatty, and Keyes supported the idea. A valid operational desire became dangerous when one performance requirement dominated the engineering system.