And the Squalus crew didn’t have the benefit of some of the escape devices (hoods/suits) the submariners had/have access to since then.

Yep...me too.

You might want to consider the USS Squalus. I’m not sure what your definition of “sunk” is...but it might change your mind.

But that is what haunts me...was it “falling asleep”? The few and varied reports I’ve read do say they were found “at their stations” which seems to confirm your speculation.

Thanks for the “poor English usage” catch...

Yes...they are.

Thanks, Tyler.

I like the concept but you already point out the their vulnerability.

My guess is that the concern comes from a nuclear tipped cruise missile...one presumably launched by a sub...but that doesn’t make much sense in light of the singular focus on DC.

...such as Israel’s Conformal Airborne Early Warning (CAEW) version of the Gulfstream 550 is very well suited for exactly this mission, and has massive endurance and crew comforts necessary to get the most out of each sortie.

Very nice!

I never did answer your comment about Malta and Thud Ridge.

And what intrigues me about this build to sell is that they aren’t too terribly concerned that their product may very well be used against them.

Your key word is “idea”...they can be truly amazing in heads and on paper. But give other humans a crack at them and we find ourselves in the routine mess. (And even the original conceptualist tends to get sucked in after the concept is torn apart by the powers that be).

Right, but my use was in the overall context that all military platforms have issues...love for us to produce a perfect, low cost weapon, but that Military Industrial Complex resides in a small, out of the way island we know as Utopia.

Yes, the scandals are always there....and I’m discovering in my reading of WW2 how many scandals there were, from dock yard workers refusing to load ships to CEOs lining their pockets with government contract monies they didn’t earn.

Back in my day it was:

OUTSTANDING!

There was a time that they produced consistent quality and the greed could be absorbed...we just can’t afford it anymore and the kids manning the rails are suffering for it.

Doctrine is absolutely correct. The Russians see the world differently because their world is different. And they have over 20 million reasons and a colorful political history to do things the way they do.