During World War II, the Gato course, and its successor, the Balao course, carried a lot of the responsibility of the submarine war in Pacific. These fresh fleet submarines had been effective ships that became fast, strong, well armed, and suitable for the long-range patrols necessary to fight inside the Pacific. They waged war facing the Axis abilities, amassing accurate documentation of devastation and sheer killing power that was unrivaled by almost every other land or ocean assault platform. These new fleet submarines enabled the Navy to shift its submarine doctrine from seaside protection to begin ocean assaults on enemy warships and convoys critical to enemy logistical help. This doctrine of forward presence and hit warfare by the submarine remains today. .