An SSGN can position a large missile battery without first revealing its location to the defender. A surface warship approaching the same threat area may be tracked, attacked before firing, or give the enemy time to reposition missile defenses. The submarine reveals itself when it launches, but gains the opportunity to fire its opening salvo. This benefit creates a competing demand when a submarine is gathering intelligence and needs to keep its position secret. Combining strike and attack-submarine roles made particular sense for littoral operations against non-conventional opponents; peer conflict makes the cost of revealing a valuable submarine more prominent.
Notable Point · 2:14:02-2:16:33
A hidden missile salvo provides warning too late to reposition defenses
Submerged strike platforms can conceal a large first salvo, but missile launch can compromise a submarine conducting a separate intelligence mission.