nuclear submarine News

nuclear submarine News From AOL News

Navy Set to Deploy a New Breed of Sailor

(Dec. 9) -- A critical part of the U.S. nuclear arsenal is about to get an elite guard force. Specially trained dolphins will be deployed in January to the Naval Base Kitsap in Washington state, where the mammals will help protect Trident submarines. They reason for using the dolphins is simple: So far, the U.S. Navy...

Background on nuclear submarine

A nuclear submarine is a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor (see also Nuclear marine propulsion). The performance advantages of nuclear submarines over "conventional" (typically diesel-electric) submarines are considerable: 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 durations; and the long interval between refuellings grants a range limited only by consumables such as food.

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