SUBMARINES OF THE REGIA MARINA AND THE AXIS ANTI-SHIPPING CAMPAIGN 1940-43: LESSONS FOR CONTEMPORARY COMBINED OPERATIONS

摘要

The more navies operate and exercise together prior to conflict, when mistakes and errors are far less costly, the greater their capability to operate together in future operations. To achieve the integration and procedural commonality desired, close and well-practiced alliances are the only realistic option for building effective, high-end warfare capabilities. It is therefore worth considering if there are sufficiently robust training activities, underpinned by shared enabling capabilities, technologies and relationships, focused in the regions most likely to require them. The Germans and Italians operated together only as allies of convenience and paid the price in blood and defeat. Their lack of common doctrine and interoperability, coupled with a lack of focused effort to resolve these shortfalls when identified, cost lives and lost opportunities. Had the requisite effort been made in 1940, or prior, the potential strengthening of the U-Boat offensive in 1941 might have had decisive effects.