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, ascend rocky cliff faces, and direct the guns of a 401-foot Portuguese frigate at targets inland. The drill showed how allied forces carry out covert landings from submarines in contested coastal terrain.

The exercise brought together multiple allied nations, combining submarine operations with overland commando movements in a realistic training scenario. Scenarios like this are increasingly common as NATO focuses on combined arms coastal tactics.

Separately, the Australian Naval Institute highlighted problems about vulnerable procurement networks underpinning nuclear submarine programs, a warning that adds pressure to long-term procurement planning for Australia's future submarine fleet. Analysts say reliable sourcing will be critical as Australia works toward building out its undersea fleet.