A submarine's strategic deterrent value differs from ordinary visible naval presence. Once a boat surfaces to advertise its location, an opponent knows where it is and can begin avoiding it. Remaining covert also constrains transit speed because a submarine becomes noisier as it goes faster. Nuclear propulsion does not eliminate that acoustic tradeoff, so stealth depends on concealment and operating profile as well as endurance.
Notable Point · 1:01:06-1:01:42
Why visible submarine presence weakens stealth
Surfacing a submarine to demonstrate presence trades away the uncertainty that makes it strategically threatening.