Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

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508

The greaT power of a submarine lies in its ability to remain hidden.

It can travel unseen beneath the waves, carrying its deadly cargo of

missiles and torpedoes, and remain underwater for long periods.

however, the submarine had humble beginnings; legend states that

during the siege of Tyre (Lebanon) in 332 bce, alexander the great

was lowered into the sea inside a glass barrel. aided by the invention

of the electric motor for underwater propulsion and the torpedo for

attacking ships, modern submarines developed into powerful weapons

during the two world wars of the 20th century. Today’s submarines are

powered either by a combination of diesel and electric motors, or by

nuclear-powered engines. There are two main types: patrol submarines,

which aim to seek and destroy ships

and other submarines, and missile-

carrying submarines. Small

submarines called submersibles

are used mainly for non-

military purposes, such as

marine research.

perIScope

Submarine captains traditionally used

a periscope, a tube containing mirrors

and lenses, to see above the surface

while the submarine was submerged.

The latest submarines have digital

imaging systems instead of

periscopes, to relay pictures

from the surface.

Propeller drives

the submarine

through the water. Diesel-electric

engines are

specially designed

to make as little

noise as possible.

hunTer-kILLer

SubmarIne

a diesel engine powers this

hunter-killer submarine

when it travels on the

surface, and an electric

motor when it is underwater.

buoyancy tanks fill with

water to submerge the

submarine; to surface again,

compressed air pushes the

water out of the tanks.

TorpedoeS

Torpedoes are packed with explosives

and have their own motors to propel

them to their targets. They are launched

by compressed air from tubes in the

nose and rear of the submarine.

Anti-submarine helicopter

trails active sonar system

in the water.

Sonar

helicopters, ships, and

hunter-killer submarines are

equipped with sonar (sound

navigation and ranging) for

detecting submarines. passive

sonar consists of microphones that

pick up the sound of the submarine’s

engines. active sonar sends out ultrasonic

sound pulses that are too high-pitched to be

heard but bounce off a hidden submarine and

produce a distinctive echo.

The missile-carrying

submarine will dive to

escape its attackers.

Submarine captain

sees helicopter

through periscope.

Submarines

Crew’s living quarters are usually

cramped. Some submarines

carry a crew of more than 150.

Control room, from where the

captain commands the submarine

Small movable wings

called bow planes, and

rudders in the tail, steer

the submarine.

Tubes for launching

torpedoes

Torpedoes

ready for firing

Find out more

navigation

oceans and seas

rockets and missiles

Ships and boats

Transportation

Hunter-killer submarine

uses active sonar to detect

enemy submarine.

The conning

tower stands

clear of the

water when the

submarine is

on the surface.

Periscope and

communication antennas

nucLear SubmarIne

The most powerful of all weapons is the

nuclear missile-carrying submarine. Its

nuclear-powered engines allow it to hide

underwater almost indefinitely without

coming up for air, and it carries sufficient

nuclear missiles to destroy several large cities.

US_508_Submarines.indd 508 09/02/16 5:28 pm