A B-52 can deliver a large cruise-missile salvo, raising the question of why a submarine should perform the same task. Bombers have limited loiter time, and moving them to an airbase sends a visible diplomatic signal. A dedicated missile submarine can enter an area quietly and remain available without announcing that deployment. Its presence would leave a visible bomber deployment available as a separate signal while preserving an immediate strike option. A proposed British counterpart would combine two SSGN variants with four Dreadnought-class ballistic-missile boats.
Notable Point · 1:06:54-1:09:16
Covert submarine loiter and visible bomber deployments
A missile submarine's ability to wait covertly distinguishes it from a bomber deployment that visibly signals an approaching crisis.