Submariners. Part-One.

Submarines, and Drones.

Many nations around the world still build, buy and use the submarine, technology has moved on with computing, nuclear power and drone ability? The early vessels were cramped and many crews on board died from fumes poisoning. The U.S lead with the first Holland Class vessels, which the British and many other nations copied and adapted.

But it was Imperial Germany that made the advances in the submariner world, with their own design which remained effective into the 1920's. With the advance of National-Socialism in Germany a new improved class of boats came into effect that was well ahead of all the nations.

Britain and the U.S. did catch up quickly during the second world war (1939-45), while others lagged behind such as Italy. It was the development of Sonar from Radar that gave Britain and the U.S the advantage of knowing where the enemy was. Many other nations opted for the Midget subs along with Britain and these small boats if they survived their missions could be quite effective, but they were really very limited?

From the Cold War era (1948-1994) it was the Soviet Union and the U.S.A that have dominated the design and construction of some seriously advanced vessels, while Britain and France have not been left out of the picture with their own. Nuclear powered vessels do not need to surface to be refuelled, they can remain hidden for months at great depths.

Advancements in miniaturization has allowed for drones of various type and robotic subs to be put into service doing dangerous work, without the cost of human life and losses.

Hollande Types.

United States and Great Britain.

The age of the submarine is a long one going back to the ancient Greeks, but we will look at its early years from the late 19th Century to the early twentyeth. France, Germany and Italy developed their own versions almost totally separately from the first Holland prototypes.

But it is these eleven or so types that has gone on to influence all modern design, up until recently when the British Royal Navy is going with an advanced copy of an early French designed hull.

All submarines in some ways have their shape based on or around the Holland original, because this fish like structure works well under the water for speed and manoeuvrability. 

But the French design which was taken on by Soviet Russia and now several other navies has more to do with the ability to dive deeper, hiding being the new game in submarine warfare.

Under Water. Part-One.

The Submarine.

This year marks the 100th Anniversary of World War-I (1914-18), when the advancement on the Irish inventor Holland was deployed by the British Royal navy against their Imperial German equivalents. Britain, America. Japan and Italy where some of the first to have this new 'warship of the deep.'

Compared to all that has been learnt with two World Wars and the 'Cold War,' they were really basic and very much death traps, but at the time very secret and state of the art. 

These early submarines was very effective in taking out merchant shipping and if not detected naval ones also. It was believed for some time that Imperial Germany may have sunk the RMS Titanic, meaning that they were operational from 1910.

These first subs really operated just below the water line or sea surface and were not the real divers of the 'Cold war and present day.