A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The term most commonly refers to a large, crewed, autonomous vessel. It is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely operated vehicles and robots, as well as medium-sized or smaller vessels, such as the midget submarine and the wet sub. Used as an adjective in phrases such as submarine cable, “submarine” means “under the sea”. The noun submarine evolved as a shortened form of submarine boat (and is often further shortened to sub).[1] For reasons of naval tradition, submarines are usually referred to as “boats” rather than as “ships”, regardless of their size.
Military Usage of Submarine:
- Before and during World War II, the primary role of the submarine was anti-surface ship warfare. Submarines would attack either on the surface or submerged, using torpedoes or (on the surface) deck guns.
- Mine-laying submarines were developed in the early part of the 20th century. The facility was used in both World Wars.
- Submarines were also used for inserting and removing covert agents and military forces, for intelligence gathering, and to rescue aircrew during air attacks on islands, where the airmen would be told of safe places to crash-land so the submarines could rescue them.
- Submarines could carry cargo through hostile waters or act as supply vessels for other submarines.
- Submarines could usually locate and attack other submarines only on the surface. After WWII, with the development of the homing torpedo, better sonar systems, and nuclear propulsion, submarines also became able to hunt each other effectively.
- The development of submarine-launched ballistic missile and submarine-launched cruise missiles gave submarines a substantial and long-ranged ability to attack both land and sea targets with a variety of weapons ranging from cluster bombs to nuclear weapons.
- The primary defense of a submarine lies in its ability to remain concealed in the depths of the ocean. Early submarines could be detected by the sound they made. Water is an excellent conductor of sound (much better than air), and submarines can detect and track comparatively noisy surface ships from long distances.
- Modern submarines are built with an emphasis on stealth. Advanced propeller designs, extensive sound-reducing insulation, and special machinery help a submarine remain as quiet as ambient ocean noise, making them difficult to detect. It takes specialized technology to find and attack modern submarines.
- Active sonar uses the reflection of sound emitted from the search equipment to detect submarines. It has been used since WWII by surface ships, submarines and aircraft (via dropped buoys and helicopter “dipping” arrays), but it gives away the position of the emitter and is susceptible to countermeasures.
A concealed military submarine is a real threat, and because of its stealth, can force an enemy navy to waste resources searching large areas of ocean and protecting ships against attack.
Civilian Usage of Submarine:
- Although the majority of the world’s submarines are military, there are some civilian submarines. They have a variety of uses, including tourism, exploration, oil and gas platform inspections, and pipeline surveys.
- A fleet of 8 tourist submarines have been operated in Disneyland, California since it opened in 1954. They run around a closed course on rails, with small windows for the visitors to see the displays in the pool.
- The first tourist submarine was launched in 1985, and by 1997 there were 45 of them operating around the world.[31] Submarines with a crush depth in the range of 400–500 feet (120–150 m) are operated in several areas worldwide, typically with bottom depths around 100 to 120 feet (30 to 37 m), with a carrying capacity of 50 to 100 passengers.
- A recent development is the deployment of so-called narco submarines by South American drug smugglers to evade law enforcement detection.[32] Although they occasionally deploy true submarines, most are self-propelled semi-submersibles, where a portion of the craft remains above water at all times.