Only two Oscar-class boats were available, leaving Victors and a smaller Charlie force as the likely operational core. Roughly thirty of the forty-eight Victor I, II, and III boats might be available for operations, making them the force with enough numbers to contest the Atlantic. Each Victor could carry only about eighteen torpedoes or compatible missiles. Unlike Second World War U-boats, these submarines had no deck gun reserve, so every attack on an escort or merchant ship competed for the same small ammunition stock.
Notable Point · 47:47-54:18
Victor submarines face an Atlantic ammunition limit
Victor-class submarines are the plausible Atlantic attackers, but an 18-weapon load sharply limits how many escorts and merchant ships each boat can engage.