Submarines for Europe’s Littoral Realities: Shallow waters like the Baltic and North Sea are among the most challenging environments for submarines: less than 100 metres deep, with complex seabeds, stratified layers, coastal reverberation and dense surface traffic. In these conditions, conventional submarines are easier to detect and harder to operate effectively.

Published this month in Defence Industry Europe, Rear Admiral Liborio Palombella explains why compact submarines are the rational answer—and how the DRASS DGK class delivers exactly this capability.

With advanced sensors, an integrated combat system on par with much larger submarines, and a flexible mission suite that supports torpedoes, mines, special forces delivery, and UUVs, the DGK combines endurance of up to 40 days with exceptional stealth. The result: a compact, covert submarine optimised for survival and supremacy in littoral waters..