FORCE AND COUNTERFORCE: THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANTI-SUBMARINE AIRCRAFT

摘要

This paper is reflective of the content of Naval Postgraduate School course, Undersea Warfare: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow. Specifically, a force and counterforce concept is examined which frames how the diversely different inventions of the submarine and aircraft evolved over time, each bearing some influence on the other. History demonstrates that the development of new weapon technology closely follows operational requirements. This may be due to apprehension of impending vulnerability as shown in the case of British Admiralty calling for ideas to use aircraft against submarines in the years just prior to World War I. It may also be in direct response to an ongoing crisis, demonstrated in the implementation of the Tenth Fleet for the purpose of countering the U-boat threat and protecting Allied merchant shipping during World War II.