Submarines & Deep-Sea Vehicles

The submarine revolutionized naval warfare, progressing from the crude, steam-driven craft of the American Civil War to the silent nuclear machines that can cruise for months underwater without surfacing -- only limited by the endurance of their crews -- and carry intercontinental missiles mounting multiple nuclear warheads. Submarines and Deep-Sea Vehicles traces the history of these vessels, starting with the earliest submersible craft, to the stealthy nuclear giants of the modern age. Since the end of programs for the exploration and exploitation of space, man has turned his attention to a frontier much closer to home, the ocean. This is a highly illustrated examination of the remarkable technology that has been developed to enable man to explore a hidden world tens of thousands of feet deep, in conditions just as extreme as those found in space. The sea offers man numerous resources and is the medium for a wide range of activities, spawning an equally diverse array of vessels to exploit them. Ranging from the military stealth submarines of the Cold War to biological research vessels, to the latest remotely-operated machines, Submarines and Deep-Sea Vehicles is a stunning guide to man's exploration and exploitation of the fascinating world under the ocean and still our greatest frontier. 256 pages