Table of Contents

Submarines

Alligator - Civil War

Alligator was a submarine designed by the French that was deployed during the American Civil War by the Union. It was 47 feet long and four feet in diameter. 1)

Typhoon class - biggest submarine

With a submerged displacement of 48,000 tonnes, a length of 574ft (175m), and a beam of 75ft (23m), Project-941 Akula class (NATO reporting name Typhoon) nuclear-powered submarines are the largest ever made. They could reach 27 knots (50km/h) while submerged and stay underwater for over 120 days. 2)

20 R-39 ballistic missiles

They could carry 20 R-39 ballistic missiles, each with 10 nuclear warheads. This means that each (of the six ever built) Typhoon-class submarines were able to sneak to almost any place in the world undetected and launch nuclear warheads to 200 separate targets in a 5,200-mile (8,300 km) range in a short period of time. With a blast yield of 100-200 kt of TNT each(which is 10 times more powerful than the atomic bombs used in Hiroshima and Nagasaki), they were capable of annihilating entire countries. 3)

TK-208 Dmitry Donskoy

Today only one Akula, TK-208 Dmitry Donskoy, remains in service. 4)

Cornelius Drebbel

The first submarine was built in 1620 by Dutch inventor Cornelius Drebbel. 5)

Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley

The first successful military submarine was the Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley, which sank a Union ship during the American Civil War in 1864. 6)

USS Nautilus

The first nuclear-powered submarine was the USS Nautilus, which was commissioned in 1954. 7)

800 feet

Submarines can operate at depths of up to 800 feet (240 meters). 8)

Strategic asset in naval warfare

Some submarines are equipped with missile launchers, making them a strategic asset in naval warfare. 9)

Staying submerged

Submarines can remain underwater for extended periods of time, with some able to stay submerged for months at a time. 10)

Buoyancy

Submarines use a ballast system to control their buoyancy, allowing them to submerge and surface. 11)

Soviet Navy's Typhoon Class

The largest submarine ever built was the Soviet Navy's Typhoon Class, which was 170 meters long and had a displacement of 48,000 tons. 12)

Periscope

Submarines use a periscope to view the surface and a sonar system to detect other vessels and underwater obstacles. 13)

Dry decks

Some submarines are equipped with dry decks, allowing them to launch and recover underwater vehicles while still submerged. 14)

Largest submarine fleet

The US Navy has the largest submarine fleet in the world, with 72 submarines in active service. 15)

Nuclear-powered submarines

Submarines can be classified into two main types: nuclear-powered submarines and diesel-electric submarines. 16)

Battle of the Atlantic

Submarines played a crucial role in World War II, particularly in the Battle of the Atlantic. 17)

Silent Service

The US Navy uses the term “Silent Service” to refer to its submarine force. 18)

Scientific research and exploration

Submarines are also used for scientific research and exploration, as well as for oil and gas exploration. 19)