> Consider a submarine where everything is automated. We're not quite there yet but there have been some interesting developments. The Soviet Project 705 ( Al

> Consider a submarine where everything is automated. We're not quite there yet but there have been some interesting developments. The Soviet Project 705 ( Alfa ) class was highly automated with a crew of only 30. All were top-tier officers ( no NCOs or ratings ), partly due to systems-mangement training requirements and partly because most of their shoot / no-shoot decisions would have been war-starters due to the types of missions assigned. The Swedes are also keen on automation for their small littoral submarines; the Näckens had only 19 crew, but without the need for long endurance at sea.