Why does every little country feel they need submarines?
That was my question. Not that there’s top flight maintenance.
It's a relatively cheap way to fight out of their weight.
Sovereign country. Their choice.
“Why does every little country feel they need submarines?”
Interesting question. Submarines are probably the most bang for the buck when considering the potential economic impact they could make and their survivability. The battery diesel powered subs are quiet and stealthy. They can do things and go places where a surface ship can’t.
Another question is why do so many small countries have very expensive jet fighters when what they actually need are much less capable planes and, typically, a lot more of them to patrol their borders and search for insurgents?
Unlike the US, most countries want to safeguard their borders. And as they discovered a few years ago, a submarine can be better than a light cruiser. At least the submarine made it back to port.