Nuclear Submarine

Extracted Attributes

• Fuel Type

  Highly enriched uranium (often >20%)

• Limitation

  Mission duration limited by food and crew fatigue

• Key Advantage

  Superior maneuverability

• Primary Purpose

  Counter other enemy submarines, trade, and/or surface fleets (Attack Submarine)

• Example Armament

  Tomahawk missiles, Vertical Launch System tubes, MK 48 torpedoes, four torpedo tubes

• Propulsion System

  Nuclear reactor

• Safety Record (US)

  Operated without incident since USS Nautilus launch in 1954

• Associated Location

  Nuclear Submarine Base, Jiyang District, Sanya City, Hainan Province, China

• Example Builder (US)

  General Dynamics Electric Boat Division

• Propulsion Mechanism

  Steam turbines, reduction gearing, propeller shaft

• Safety Record (Soviet Union)

  Experienced radiation incidents, including serious nuclear and radiation accidents

• Example Beam (USS Los Angeles)

  33 feet (10.06 meters)

• Example Crew (USS Los Angeles)

  16 officers; 127 enlisted

• Example Speed (USS Los Angeles)

  25+ knots (28+ miles per hour, 46.3+ kph)

• Example Length (USS Los Angeles)

  360 feet (109.73 meters)

• Example Displacement (USS Los Angeles)

  Approximately 6,900 tons (7011 metric tons) submerged

Timeline

• Launch of USS Nautilus (SSN-571), the first submarine to use radioactive material as a power source. This marked the beginning of incident-free operation for American naval reactors. (Source: Wikipedia, summary, web search)

  1954

• USS Nautilus travels to the North Pole. (Source: web search (EPA))

  1958

• USS Los Angeles deployed. (Source: web search (US Navy))

  1976-11-13

• USS Seawolf commissioned. (Source: web search (US Navy))

  1997-07-19

Nuclear submarine

A nuclear submarine is a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor, but not necessarily nuclear-armed. Nuclear submarines have considerable performance advantages over "conventional" (typically diesel-electric) submarines. Nuclear propulsion, being completely independent of air, frees the submarine from the need to surface frequently, as is necessary for conventional submarines. The large amount of power generated by a nuclear reactor allows nuclear submarines to operate at high speed for long periods, and the long interval between refuelings grants a virtually unlimited range, making the only limits on voyage times factors such as the need to restock food or other consumables. Thus nuclear propulsion solves the problem of limited mission duration that all electric (battery or fuel cell powered) submarines face. The high cost of nuclear technology means that relatively few of the world's military powers have fielded nuclear submarines. Radiation incidents have occurred within the Soviet submarines, including serious nuclear and radiation accidents, but American naval reactors starting with the S1W and subsequent designs have operated without incident since the launch of USS Nautilus (SSN-571) in 1954.

Web Search Results

• Nuclear submarine - Wikipedia

  A nuclear submarine is a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor, but not necessarily nuclear-armed. [...] Nuclear submarines have considerable performance advantages over "conventional" (typically diesel-electric) submarines. Nuclear propulsion, being completely independent of air, frees the submarine from the need to surface frequently, as is necessary for conventional submarines. The large amount of power generated by a nuclear reactor allows nuclear submarines to operate at high speed for long periods, and the long interval between refuelings grants a virtually unlimited range, making the only [...] The main difference between conventional submarines and nuclear submarines is the power generation system. Nuclear submarines employ nuclear reactors for this task. They either generate electricity that powers electric motors connected to the propeller shaft or rely on the reactor's heat to produce steam that drives steam turbines (cf. nuclear marine propulsion). Reactors used in submarines typically use highly enriched "Enriched uranium") fuel (often greater than 20%) to enable them to deliver

• What is the purpose of a nuclear submarine? What does it do that ...

  nuclear submarine is a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor. Since nuclear propulsion does not require atmospheric oxygen, it frees the submarine from the need to surface frequently, as is necessary for conventional submarines. Due to the long interval between refuelling of the reactor, the sortie duration of nuclear submarine remains limited by food embarked and crew fatigue. Simply put, a nuclear submarine has a nearly limitless range and superior manoeuvrability. [...] nuclear submarine is a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor. Since nuclear propulsion does not require atmospheric oxygen, it frees the submarine from the need to surface frequently, as is necessary for conventional submarines. Due to the long interval between refuelling of the reactor, the sortie duration of nuclear submarine remains limited by food embarked and crew fatigue. Simply put, a nuclear submarine has a nearly limitless range and superior manoeuvrability. [...] The purpose of a Nuclear Submarine is the same as any other submarine. The most common Nuclear submarine is the Nuclear Attack Submarine. These are attack submarines tasked with countering other enemies submarine, countering enemy trade, and/or surface fleets. They’re the workhorses of the modern navy.

• Nuclear Submarines and Aircraft Carriers | US EPA

  Nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers are powered by onboard nuclear reactors. Atoms in the nuclear reactor split, which releases energy as heat. This heat is used to create high-pressured steam. The steam turns propulsion turbines that provide the power to turn the propeller. Additional turbines also make electricity for the ship. As the steam cools and condenses back into water, the water is directed back through the system, and the process starts again. [...] In 1954, the Navy launched the first submarine that used radioactive material as a power source. Its name was the USS Nautilus and it was the first submarine to travel to the North Pole in 1958. Before then, submarines used diesel engines and had to go into port for fuel. Nuclear power allowed submarines to run for about twenty years without needing to refuel. Food supplies became the only limit on a nuclear submarine’s time at sea. Since then, similar technologies have been developed to power [...] Heat from powered nuclear reactors makes the steam needed to power some submarines and aircraft carriers in the United States fleet. When a nuclear vessel is taken out of service, the federal government disposes of and monitors its radioactive parts. Some of the submarines and aircraft carriers in the United States fleet are powered by nuclear reactors. On this page: About Nuclear Submarines and Aircraft Carriers What you can do Where to learn more

• Power Supply - How Submarines Work - Science | HowStuffWorks

  Prev NEXT Advertisement # How Submarines Work Prev NEXT By: Marshall Brain & Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D. ## Power Supply ­Nuclear submarines use nuclear reactors, steam turbines and reduction ge­aring to drive the main propeller shaft, which provides the forward and reverse thrust in the water (an electric motor drives the same shaft when docking or in an emergency). [...] Because of these limitations of batteries, it was recognized that nuclear power in a submarine provided a huge benefit. Nuclear generators need no oxygen, so a nuclear sub can stay underwater for weeks at a time. Also, because nuclear fuel lasts much longer than diesel fuel (years), a nuclear submarine does not have to come to the surface or to a port to refuel and can stay at sea longer. [...] Nuclear subs and aircraft carriers are powered by nuclear reactors that are nearly identical to the reactors used in commercial power plants. The reactor produces heat to generate steam to drive a steam turbine. The turbine in a ship directly drives the propellers, as well as electrical generators. The two major differences between commercial reactors and reactors in nuclear ships are:

• Attack Submarines - SSN > United States Navy > Display-FactFiles

  With the number of foreign diesel-electric/air-independent propulsion submarines increasing, the United States Submarine Force relies on its technological superiority and the speed, endurance, mobility, stealth, and payload afforded by nuclear power to retain its preeminence in the undersea battlespace. [...] Builder:Newport News Shipbuilding Co.; General Dynamics Electric Boat Division Date Deployed:Nov. 13, 1976 (USS Los Angeles) Propulsion:One nuclear reactor, one shaft Length:360 feet (109.73 meters) Beam: 33 feet (10.06 meters) Displacement:Approximately 6,900 tons (7011 metric tons) submerged Speed:25+ knots (28+ miles per hour, 46.3 +kph) Crew:16 officers; 127 enlisted Armament:Tomahawk missiles, Vertical Launch System tubes (SSN 719 and later), MK 48 torpedoes, four torpedo tubes [...] Silversides (SSN 807) Under construction John H. Dalton (SSN 808) Under construction Long Island (SSN 809) Under construction San Francisco (SSN 810) Under construction Miami (SSN 811) Under construction General Characteristics, Seawolf Class Builder:General Dynamics Electric Boat Division. Date Deployed:USS Seawolf commissioned July 19, 1997 Propulsion:One nuclear reactor, one shaft Length:SSNs 21 and 22: 353 feet (107.6 meters); SSN 23: 453 feet (138.07 meters)