688I Los Angeles-class submarine replacement challenge
By The BriefBrief
The article argues that the US Navy’s 688I Los Angeles-class attack submarines were built for anti-submarine and surface-ship hunting, but the Soviet war scenario never arrived. It says the class instead became a land-attack platform, with Tomahawk missiles making it decisive during the period when that mission mattered most.
WHO:19FortyFive
WHAT:Analysis of how the 688I Los Angeles-class submarine design shifted from its original Soviet-focused mission to a land-attack role using Tomahawk missiles.
WHEN:Reported Aug 27, 2026 at 6:59 PM ET
WHERE:USA
WHY:The article frames the issue as a practical problem for the US Navy: the difficulty of replacing the class after its mission role changed from what it was originally built for.
Reporting from 1 identified publisher for this event.
