Want To Drive a Nuclear Submarine?

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Have you ever wanted to stand in the control center of a nuclear submarine? After such movies as The Hunt for Red October  and Crimson Tide  I know  I do. However, I can understand why the Navy doesn’t allow this. But there is a way, sort of…

Let’s check out the Naval Undersea Museum. 

The Naval Undersea Museum is located in Keyport, Washington. 

The modern building, built in 1995, houses the museum. By the entrance is the sail, off the nuclear submarine USS Sturgeon SSN 637. 

The first display area is dedicated to the world in which the submarine operates—the undersea world. Here, water temperature, tides, currents and the ocean floor are explained by way of graphics and objects on display. It is quite colorful and informative. Also aquatic animals are featured and the way man has used them to research the sea. This is the operating environment of the submarine, the sea.

Prior to the invention of the underwater boat or submarine, mines known as torpedoes were the undersea weapon of choice. By the way submariners refer to their craft as a boat. When Commodore David Farragut exclaimed, while sailing into Mobile Bay during the Civil War, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!” The torpedo he was referring to is what we refer to as a mine today. Initially they were triggered when an object such as ship came in contact with the mine then known as a torpedo. this contact resulting to a flintlock like mechanism ignition the explosive powder.  

Interestingly enough, the motorized and controlled torpedo was invented before the practical submarine. The  Englishman, Robert Whitehead, invented the modern torpedo in 1866. Compressed air fueled the reciprocating engine to provide motivation through the water. The later switch to steam also drove a reciprocating engine prior to replacement by a steam turbine. Electric motors with battery packs were also used. The adaption of the gyroscope in the late 1800s greatly  improved maneuverability. These torpedoes, first used by the Austrian Navy in warfare, were launched from small ships. They would continue to be launched by surface vessels for years to come. 

Although submarines are known to have existed in the 18th century they did not become practical until the late nineteenth century. In 1775 the first military submarine was the Turtle, invented by David Bushnell. According to the museum, the first submarine to sink an enemy vessel, the CSS H.L. Hunley in 1864 was not a true submarine because it did not have apparatus for the crew to breathe underwater. The first mechanically powered submarine used compressed air and a reciprocating engine. Later  steam engines were used. When it became obvious that the submarine would need and internal combustion engine was well as an electric engine the diesel-electric hybrid combination was used. This allowed the submarine to operate on the surface with the diesel engine and charge the batteries for the electric motor simultaneously. With the advent of diesel electric power in the late nineteenth century submarine production increased rapidly.

A number of nations had built practical military submarines by the time of the First World War. Germany was very effective in its use of submarines in warfare. In WWII Germany’s U-Boats wreaked havoc on shipping in the North Atlantic. Between the wars submarine technology increased the speed and range of the underwater boats. Germany depended on its submarine fleet to rule the Atlantic and Mediterranean. The brass headed German G7e torpedo is responsible for sending thousands of tons of ships and ship’s cargo to Dave’s Jones locker. And that’s the US Navy’s Mark 18 torpedo used by the Americans during WWII. Submarine commanders distrusted it due to design flaws. It would frequently circle the target rather than hitting it. However, after the design flaws were addressed the American submarines ruled the Pacific against the Japanese. 

Although technical advances continued in torpedo development, torpedoes were overshadowed by the guided missile as a submarine weapon. Shortly after the nuclear powered submarine was introduced in 1955  the intercontinental ballistic missile was added to the arsenal of the nuclear powered submarine. It followed the deck launched winged missiles such as the Rugulus.The submarine launched missile reached perfection in the SLBM, Submarine Launched Ballistic  Missile. The MIRV, the Multiple Independently targeted Reentry Vehicle, is the ultimate ballistic missile. These large missiles with as many as 14 targetable warheads delivered to high altitude by a missile are dispersed and guided to targets below.  These large missile carrying submarines have the ability to deliver unbelievable destruction, and are called s“boomers”. 

Not all nuclear submarines are this big and powerful. Some such as the USS Greenling  SSN 614, a fast attack submarine,  were smaller with a crew of 12 officers and 95 men. The museum has a command center of a nuclear powered submarine on display  Actually all electronic monitoring, communication and ancillary equipment are from the USS Greenling SSN 614, decommissioned in 1996. And that includes the periscope. The decisions for the submarine’s operation were made here. Notice the lack of chairs which would have been normally in front of the instruments and controls.

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 restrictions, I was unable to enter the space and stand in the control room of a nuclear powered attack submarine. 

There are other displays of underwater research and rescue vehicles in the museum but pale in comparison to the undersea warfare section. When in Keyport on Puget sound check out the Naval Undersea Museum