In 2005, during war games, the United States Navy experienced a tactical epiphany when the USS Ronald Reagan, a supercarrier valued at $6.2 billion, was virtually ‘sunk’ by an unexpected foe—the Swedish Gotland-class submarine.

Fortunately, this did not occur in real combat but was simulated as part of a war game involving a carrier task force.

This simulated defeat caused shockwaves in the naval community and led to a reevaluation of undersea warfare and anti-submarine defenses.

The unexpected triumph of the HMSM Gotland against the USS Ronald Reagan’s Carrier Strike Group, despite being faced with destroyers, helicopters, and aircraft, revealed a significant weakness.

The diesel-electric submarine Gotland managed to evade the carrier’s advanced passive sonar defenses, deliver numerous simulated torpedo strikes, and slip away unnoticed. This event vividly showcased a smaller force prevailing over a larger one.

But how did a single, relatively inexpensive submarine manage to outmaneuver a giant of the sea? Popular Mechanics attributed this feat to the Gotland’s “very old-school engine.” Unlike conventional diesel-electric submarines that are noisier because of their internal combustion engines, the Gotland-class submarine utilizes a highly efficient Stirling engine. This engine silently recharges batteries, which in turn power the submarine’s electric motor. Consequently, the Gotland is capable of operating “more silently than any other diesel submarine, and even more quietly than its nuclear counterparts,” whose coolant pumps might unintentionally reveal their position.

This event exposed a stark reality: the most expensive military assets are not necessarily the most effective.

The Gotland’s triumph in these war games underscored that in the realm of defense, a $100 million investment could profoundly challenge a $6.2 billion adversary.

It was a lesson in the value of low-tech, low-cost solutions against high-tech, high-cost platforms.

The significance of these exercises was not lost on the U.S. Navy, which subsequently leased the Gotland to better understand the vulnerabilities it had exploited.

The U.S. Navy’s commitment to addressing these gaps was a testament to the evolving nature of naval warfare and the importance of keeping pace with emerging technologies—even those that might be considered outdated or low-tech.

This incident sparked a discussion about the broader ramifications of defense spending and military strategy. Although the U.S. defense budget seemed larger than that of its competitors, the Gotland episode demonstrated that merely increasing expenditure did not guarantee security or dominance.

Despite taking place in 2005, the insights from this incident continue to reverberate within the Pentagon and other circles. The concept of low-tech systems effectively challenging high-end military capabilities questions traditional notions of power projection and deterrence.

The Gotland’s ‘sinking’ of the USS Ronald Reagan was not just a shocking outcome in a controlled exercise; it was a wake-up call to the U.S. Navy and its allies.

It was a reminder that in the dynamic theater of war, adaptability and innovation often eclipse raw power and expense.

Relevant articles:
– Gotland: The Small and Cheap Submarine that ‘Sunk’ A Navy Aircraft Carrier, The National Interest
– War Games: A Swedish Stealth Submarine Sank A U.S. Aircraft Carrier, The National Interest, Jan 23, 2020
– Gotland-Class: How a Tiny Submarine from Sweden Sank a Navy Aircraft Carrier, nationalinterest.org