A 2,017-ton German submarine surfaced off the northern tip of Scotland during a recent military exercise, giving British commandos a departure point to reach shore by inflatable boat, climb the coastline, and direct the guns of a 401-foot Portuguese frigate at targets inland. The drill illustrated how allied forces carry out covert landings from submarines in difficult shoreline environments.

The exercise brought together several NATO partners, combining submarine operations with overland commando movements in a high-pressure drill setting. Scenarios like this are growing in number as NATO focuses on submarine-launched landing operations.

Separately, the Australian Naval Institute raised concerns about vulnerable procurement networks underpinning nuclear submarine programs, a warning that creates new urgency to long-term procurement planning for Australia's future submarine fleet. Analysts say supply chain resilience will be a deciding factor as Australia works toward standing up its submarine capability.