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A nuclear submarine is a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor, but not necessarily nuclear-armed.In the US classification, nuclear-powered submarines are designated as SSxN, where the SS denotes submarine, x=G means that the submarine is equipped with guided missiles (usually cruise missiles), x=B means that the submarine is equipped with ballistic missiles (usually intercontinental) and the ...
A nuclear navy, or nuclear-powered navy, refers to the portion of a navy consisting of naval ships powered by nuclear marine propulsion. The concept was revolutionary for naval warfare when first proposed. Prior to nuclear power, submarines were powered by diesel engines and could only submerge through the use of batteries.
Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory, operated by Westinghouse, developed the basic reactor plant design used in Nautilus after being given the assignment on 31 December 1947 to design a nuclear power plant for a submarine. [14] Nuclear power had a crucial advantage in submarine propulsion because it is a zero-emission process that consumes no air ...
In the 67 years since the Navy launched the world's first nuclear-powered sub, USS Nautilus, its boats have only gotten more capable and more deadly.
There are three major types of submarines in the United States Navy: ballistic missile submarines, attack submarines, and cruise missile submarines. All submarines currently in the U.S. Navy are nuclear-powered. Ballistic missile submarines have a single strategic mission of carrying nuclear submarine-launched ballistic missiles.
The nuclear submarine is part of America’s so-called “nuclear triad” of atomic weapons — which also includes land-based ballistic missiles and nuclear bombs aboard strategic bombers.
Submarine warfare is one of the four divisions of underwater warfare, the others being anti-submarine warfare, mine warfare and mine countermeasures.. Submarine warfare consists primarily of diesel and nuclear submarines using torpedoes, missiles or nuclear weapons, as well as advanced sensing equipment, to attack other submarines, ships, or land targets.
Russia and the U.S. have the land- and submarine-based segments of their strategic nuclear forces on alert and prepared for combat at all times, but nuclear-capable bombers and other aircraft are not.