The first Los Angeles-class boats would not automatically decide the contest. In the Norwegian Sea, a conventional submarine can drift quietly and exploit the noise made by an attacking nuclear boat moving into position. The SSK becomes a defensive ambush system while the faster SSN must reveal more of itself to press an attack. Defensive mining could also complicate amphibious operations severely if it occurred before the political crisis made it appear too provocative.
Notable Point · 3:28:19-3:31:21
Why quiet diesel submarines complicate the undersea fight
A nuclear attack submarine's mobility is valuable, but a quiet diesel-electric boat waiting in defensive waters can be a dangerous ambush threat.