Surcouf and the cost of a submarine gun

Surcouf's large gun consumed space and weight that could have gone to torpedoes, their handling systems or other equipment. With only twenty-eight shells available, it offered fourteen salvos and needed repeated hits where perhaps two torpedoes might suffice. Modern vertical launch systems illustrate the opposite trade-off: missiles can be packed more densely than torpedoes because they do not need the same handling machinery through the hull. France's army-first funding pressure, proximity to Britain and Italy, and desire to remain technically ambitious help explain why an independent long-range raider looked attractive on paper. The same money would probably have produced more useful combat power in fast light cruisers.