USN subs are the best in the world. Anyone who tells you otherwise do not know what they are talking about.
Russian boomers get trailed by USN subs as soon as they leave their port. That includes Borei class
With subs being best or not - it's complicated. Just as there is no such thing as the best car - the same is applicable to subs. Virginia is 50% larger than french Barracuda, and is almost half as small as Yasen. This alone must tell a thing or two that those boats aren't exactly about the same, and there may be differences.
Especially now, when mainstream US class sub is, while advanced, - is both metrically mediocre and specifically built as a
good enough class.
Moreover, out of 4 other major SSN design houses,
at least 3 are capable of building a ~Virginia analog more or less off the shelf. Harder to tell about China, not because it's incapable, but because we don't really know enough to say for certain.
US, however, maintains such thing as the most capable (overall) sub force - but in this case, it's a simple matter of the size of the (actual) force and the related/supporting forces.
Russian boomers do indeed get trailed off bases - but not because of subs qualities, they're perfectly silent.
The main culprit is the negligible state of Russian inshore ASW. When out in the sea, as far as we know, Russian boomers tend to get off lash well enough. And, for the matter, Ohios were trailed by Soviet/Russian(hah) subs in 80-90s, too - to the point of turtling into their own 'bastions'. Maybe later, too, they don't really talk about such stuff without a couple of decades of time lag.
Whatever the case - the point is that Russia
can indeed provide a 3rd party with the capability to start building modern/prospective hunter-killer boats. With some downsides - sure. With some advantages, too. Moreover, due to still having several design houses capable of designing a submarine - it probably still can do so with a reasonable level of keeping its own boats behind the veil.
