Delayed submarine reports resemble the targeting problem faced by long-range anti-ship ballistic missiles. Even a very fast weapon can spend roughly 45 minutes to an hour reaching a maximum-range target, during which a ship may alter course and speed. Extreme velocity can also complicate midcourse or terminal updates because of the plasma layer around the missile. Aircraft that shadow a fleet and report continuously are therefore more useful than a single old position for both carrier strikes and long-range missile attacks.
Notable Point · 36:45-37:46
Long-range missiles still need fresh moving-target data
The submarine-scouting problem becomes a modern lesson in why weapon speed cannot compensate for stale target positions.