The History of the Nuclear Submarine

Submarines changed naval warfare, and nuclear power turned the submarine into a formidable weapon. The history of the nuclear submarine, though short, advanced in the United States and the Soviet Union on basically the same time table, and with the same end goals. Both countries needed and wanted the latest and most powerful submarine available.

Early History

The history of the nuclear submarine started in 1947. Captain Hyman Rickover was the first to see the potential of a nuclear powered submarine and began presenting his case to the Navy and Atomic Energy Commission in 1947. In 1949, Rickover was given the directorship of the Naval Reactors Branch and oversaw the building of the first nuclear submarine, the USS Nautilus (SS-571). Also, he was responsible for the construction and operation of the nuclear fleet. Hyman Rickover is considered the Father of the Nuclear Navy.

The First Nuclear Submarine

The USS Nautilus (SS-571) was the initial submarine commissioned for the United States nuclear submarine fleet. Launched on January 21, 1954, from Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut, the Nautilus was a monumental turning point in the propulsion systems. The new nuclear reactor system allowed for quieter propulsion, faster speeds and deeper depths. It was the first true submarine and traveled underneath the polar icecap to reach the North Pole. The Nautilus was decommissioned in 1980.

1950 to 1970

After the launch of the Nautilus, the U.S. continued research to perfect the nuclear propulsion system, and the Soviet Union used espionage to try and regain lost ground. The first Soviet nuclear submarine launched in 1958 and soon they possessed a small fleet of 24. In their haste, the Soviets neglected some underlying problems and many sailors died of radiation sickness. The U.S. achieved 29 knots when the nuclear engine was paired with the Albacore hull. In 1963, the United States Navy suffered the loss of the USS Thresher (SSN-593) with 16 officers, 96 enlisted men and 21 civilians onboard. While 220 miles east of Cape Cod, the Thresher reported problems through a garbled transmission, then went silent.

1970 to 1990

In response to a new Soviet nuclear submarine tracking the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier at 31 knots, the U.S. developed the Los Angeles Class submarine. The Los Angeles Class, also known as a Fast Attack, was faster and more maneuverable than previous nuclear submarines. Fast Attacks are much smaller, at 360 feet, with the mission of tracking enemy submarines and ships. The escalation of the Cold War resulted in the development of the Boomer Class Submarine. Boomers, approximately 560 feet, are designed to launch Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles against an enemy with short notice. The U.S. Navy devoted one-third of its budget to the nuclear submarine program during the Cold War to counter the Soviet force. In 1996, the U.S. Navy spent $2 trillion dollars, according to the Smithsonian.

2000 to Present

In August 2000, the Soviet submarine Kursk sank during military training exercises, with the loss of 118 crew members. The ship is believed to have been destroyed by an explosion that led to the detonation of the onboard torpedoes. In 1991, during the Persian Gulf War, submarines were used to launch Tomahawk Cruise Missiles at strategic targets inside Iraq. 1997 saw the introduction of the new Virginia class submarine, which includes the USS Virginia, USS Jimmy Carter and the USS Texas in 2009.

References

• Smithsonian Institute, "Fast Attacks and Boomers"
• The Rickover Effect: How One Man Made a Difference, Theodor Rockwell, iUniverse, 2002
• Arlington National Cemetary, "USS Thresher"

Resources

• USS Nautilus