Royal Netherlands Navy 1945-1990 formerly Nuclear Powered Submarines for the Royal Netherlands Navy

[Rule of cool]

Ouch.

Okay, that's bordering on too poor to own SSNs.

It would require a pretty severe naval threat for an economy that size to afford SSNs. I'd guess that it would also strain Dutch industrial capacity as well, perhaps beyond their national industrial reach.

 

[Arjen]

I'd guess that it would also strain Dutch industrial capacity as well

In isolation, I think acquiring nuclear submarines would have been within Dutch industrial capacity.
All things considered, not going down that path was the right decision.

The RNLN considered building nuclear-powered submarines?

indeed.

 

[Rule of cool]

All things considered, not going down that path was the right decision.

I agree, its a huge investment, doubly so for a continental medium (at best) power.

 

[Cjc]

Not just strategic mobility, but tactical as well. 30 knots makes for a tough torpedo solution and small no escape zones.

However £25m in the 60s is massive money in an absolute sense. For countries with big navies and budgets it can be absorbed, but for a middle power it distorts the whole force structure, like an elephant with tusks too big to weild.

The Canadian navy plan for ssn was to become basically a sub only navy, good for a posable war against the ussr, bad for any other activity one would want from a navy.

 

[Rule of cool]

The Canadian navy plan for ssn was to become basically a sub only navy, good for a posable war against the ussr, bad for any other activity one would want from a navy.

That looks like what the RAN is going to become in the future.

 

[GK. Dundas]

The Canadian navy plan for ssn was to become basically a sub only navy, good for a posable war against the ussr, bad for any other activity one would want from a navy.

In order to pay for the SSN programme. The navy was willing to forgo the third tranche of the city class frigate purchase .which is why we have twelve instead of eighteen frigates .

 

[Cjc]

In order to pay for the SSN programme. The navy was willing to forgo the third tranche of the city class frigate purchase .which is why we have twelve instead of eighteen frigates .

I was talking about the 60s when the ssn option meant getting rid of most of the surface fleet.