Mountbatten considered a strike submarine that would fire long-range missiles at enemy naval bases, attacking the Soviet submarine threat before it reached the open ocean. Using an American weapon could save development time and money while simplifying wartime logistics. Presenting the mission as an attack on naval bases also reduced the risk of Royal Air Force opposition to a system that might otherwise challenge its strategic role. The moment shows that weapon choices were shaped by alliance supply and interservice politics as well as by operational logic.
Notable Point · 43:31-43:55
Long-range strike submarines and interservice rivalry
A proposed strike submarine combined attacks on enemy naval bases with American missile procurement and a careful response to Royal Air Force interests.