Submarines in the United States Navy

There are three major types of submarines in the United States Navy: ballistic missile submarines, attack submarines and cruise missile submarines. In the U.S. Navy, all combatant submarines are nuclear-powered. Ballistic subs have a single, strategic mission: carrying nuclear submarine-launched ballistic missiles. Attack submarines have several tactical missions, including sinking ships and subs, launching cruise missiles, and gathering intelligence.

The submarine has a long history in the United States, beginning with the Turtle, the world's first submersible with a documented record of use in combat.

There were various projects in the 1800s, such as: Alligator, a US Navy submarine (never commissioned) that was being towed to South Carolina to be used in the taking of Charleston; she was lost due to bad weather 2 April 1863 off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina; and the H. L. Hunley which was a submarine of the Confederate States of America shipped by rail to South Carolina on 12 August 1863 to defend Charleston. The Hunley played a small part in the American Civil War, but a large role in naval warfare worldwide by demonstrating both the advantages and the dangers of undersea warfare. On 17 February 1864, Hunley attacked and sank the USS Housatonic in Charleston harbor becoming the first submarine to sink an enemy ship, but soon after, Hunley also sank, drowning all eight crewmen. Real progress began in earnest in the late 19th century with the building of the USS Holland (SS-1). The Holland (named after John Philip Holland) was developed at Lewis Nixon's Crescent Shipyard located in Elizabeth, New Jersey. This pioneering craft was in service for 10 years and was a developmental and trials vessel for many systems on other early submarines.

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