Overview

Although submarines had been used for warfare in one form or another since the American Revolution, it was not until World War I that they were ocean-capable vessels. Even then their limited battery life and diesel engines tied them to the surface. Nuclear power removed this obstacle, allowing them to operate as true undersea warships, limited only by their ability to store food and the endurance of their crews. The development and refinement of nuclear submarines led to drastic changes in the nature of naval warfare and information gathering, fostered a number of technological innovations, and fascinated the public in a manner matched only by aircraft carriers and, perhaps, battleships in their heyday.

Background

In 1620 Dutch inventor Cornelius Drebbel (1572-1633) constructed and operated a 24-man submarine that...