Get Ready, China: Tech Breakthrough Could Turn U.S. Subs into Carriers

Purely as an historical aside for those who might read this and not known of it not that it especially bears on the topic here albeit purely as a matter of interest during the civil war there was a modified barge I believe that was renamed the USS George Washington Parke custis that was used as the true first example of an aerial vehicle in that case a balloon launched from its surface as a flight deck. Not that it bears on the topic here per SE however I merely found it a nifty piece of historical arcania that merely seemed apropos to mention at this specific juncture that's all I'm trying to say. As for the topic here, ID of course known of the Japanese effort for a sub launched manned aircraft not a drone during ww2 and had long thought from a purely military and or naval history standpoint that the idea would eventually be resurrected as have many ideas I've read of from ww2 or the 1950s or 1960s for which needed technology was just simply lacking during those periods to make such ideas practicable (merely an observation mind you of course).

I expected that....

The technology is already in place or in development to make this happen. Subs can already launch cruise missiles. Cruise missiles can already be configured to air launch dozens or hundreds (depending on model) of mini or micro autonomous UAV or UCAV drone aircraft. Using existing and emerging swarm technology, these drones can be configured to provide airborne surveillance, damage assessment, fire control, or even act as a local, secure satellite communication network. Some are being tested and developed for carrying small explosives, such as gator mines or even a small-diameter bomb. The drones could be command by ground forces to drop munitions or simply fly directly into a target, once all releasable munitions are expended.

It's not nearly the same thing as launching manned aircraft, but it is existing and emerging technology that could be in place to project global air power in less than a decade.