Originally Posted by Rabs

I was just curious cause I always heard that SSBNs were nosier than SSNs. Even that an ohio class sitting idle in port is still nosier than a LA class doing 15 knots.

I have heard that too, I believe its because SSBN are generally larger (larger = noiser) than SSN. If you look at Russian boats, the Typhoons are huge but noisey, whilist the Alfa class are deadly quiet.

About the French Navy, if you take a look on a map you can see that France as almost as many costs than borders. So during history they were able to build a strong ground army and a good Navy. During US war of Independance, De Grasse allowed the French to bring 30,000 men in the US over the Rule Britannia. Also during WWII the British had to destroy the French fleet so Germans wouldn't take over it in order to fight the British with it. Also France is the third country in the world to have Nuclear Submarines (RN's are controlled by USN). I would say that if we ranked the US armies 100, France and Britain would be 10 and the rest of the world barely 5. Because it is true that France and Britain's armies are strong but because these are small countries they can't build more.

(RN's are controlled by USN)

Everything I have ever seen points to that being an un-true myth.

Then I must be mistaken, but I've read many articles about France being the only independent nuclear power in Europe, Britain's nuclear arsenal being created and controlled by the US.

Funny Affe I thought Britain built it's own nuclear weapons, and there was a lot of information passed on to France by Britain. Yes we are using an American designed reactor on the new subs but on the older ones it is of a British design. As a member of NATO or nuclear weapons can be dispatched by there Commanders but they are under the British Governments Control. Now we would hardly start a nuclear war with at first discussing with our allies for once some thing like that starts every one will be affected

Affee, the British, and the rest of Europe might I add understood something during the Cold War that France did not: Cooperation.
Nowadays it's every European country for itself (EU my ass).

Originally Posted by Rabs

Everything I have ever seen points to that being an un-true myth.

Maybe a myth born out of the SIOP (single integrated operation plan) from the cold war? that the US' and Uk's nuke forces worked to the same plan?