Building Submarines & Training Submariners. Nuclear-powered submarines are extremely complex machines. Building them became possible only with significant advances in science and technology... Construction & Anatomy of a Nuclear Submarine

Unlike any other form of ship in history, nuclear submarines must be able to operate quietly, swiftly, independently and for extended periods on—as well as deep under—the surface of the world's oceans. As warships, they also carry a remarkable array of weapons—offensive and defensive, as well as nuclear and conventional—which must be ready at all times. As a result, they are among the most complex inventions ever developed by humankind. To survive safely and effectively in an alien environment, these machines must be rigorously built and maintained, and their operators must be carefully screened and trained for any scenario from normal daily operations to nuclear holocaust.

Copyright © 2000, The National Museum of American History

Submarine Anatomy. In the 1950s, the U.S. Navy developed two distinct types of submarine to take advantage of the new capabilities of nuclear power: fast attacks and boomers.

Unlike any other form of ship in history, nuclear submarines must be able to operate quietly, swiftly, independently and for extended periods on—as well as deep under—the surface of the world's oceans. As warships, they also carry a remarkable array of weapons—offensive and defensive, as well as nuclear and conventional—which must be ready at all times. As a result, they are among the most complex inventions ever developed by humankind. To survive safely and effectively in an alien environment, these machines must be rigorously built and maintained, and their operators must be carefully screened and trained for any scenario from normal daily operations to nuclear holocaust.