Comparative Analysis of Land-Based Antisubmarine Warfare Operations in the Atlantic: U.S. Army During World War II and the U.S. Navy During the Cold War

摘要

This study examines a comparison of land based antisubmarine warfare (ASW) operations using U.S. Army aircraft during World War 2 and the U.S. Navy's P-3 Orion during the Cold War. This thesis investigates the comparison in more depth by using four of the nine principles of war: (1) objective, (2) offensive, (3) maneuver, and (4) surprise. The Navy's P-3 Orion, land based throughout the Atlantic, was able to provide a credible deterrent against Soviet submarines since its introduction to the fleet in 1962. U.S. Army aircraft of World War 2 used in fighting the German U-boats, on the other hand, progressed into a credible deterrent in their temporary role of ASW. The author examines the short lived history of U.S. Army land based operations (approximately two years) and the extended history of the U.S. Navy land based operations and suggests that despite technological advances onboard both service's aircraft, land based ASW has changed very little after fifty years. This study also indicates that there lies a significant need in pursuing and continuing the capabilities of a land based ASW aircraft.