Life on US Navy's most advanced attack submarines patrolling the seas

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Fluctus channel. Submarines are essential to modern naval warfare, used for stealthy and fearsome means of extending military influence. Because these boats can patrol under the surface where they are all but invisible, shining anywhere from grid plotting to strategic deterrence. Submarines are armed with some of the most advanced sonar and communication systems in existence and can track enemy ships for hundreds or thousands of miles away without them having any clue what's happening. Submarines are powerful enough not just to launch from where it is safe, but directly at an attacker, striking first before disappearing again within seconds back into the submerged darkness of the oceans of the world. Submarines also grant a significant tactical advantage The fact that they are silent and can remain underwater for weeks means they can launch surprise attacks as well as escape any countermeasures. Submarines can also deploy nuclear or conventional weapons, including ballistic missiles, which can strike targets thousands of miles away. They form part of a nation's second strike capability, meaning even if a country results It has the ability to retaliate with all but unstoppable force. This is in addition to the capability of submarines to perform clandestine tasks, such as inserting special forces into enemy territory, or laying mines and conducting surveillance in hostile waters. Submarines rule the depths and offer us a strategic advantage, securing control over these vital domains while presenting potential challengers with an enduring deterrent in our increasingly competitive global environment. Life on a nuclear sub like the USS New Mexico consists of several key departments, all critical to keeping that ship sailing. The galley or mess is the center of crew morale. Feeds people with meals and acts as a break from the workspace. We serve about 130 meals per day and today you guys are here with us on Burger Day, also known as Field Day, so we have chocolate chip cookies for today. We've already been eating them, so that's how you know they're good. Submarines have the best food in the Navy. They'll let anyone tell you anything otherwise. Weapons, including torpedoes and tomahawk missiles, are regularly He was thoroughly looked after and readied by the armaments department. The maintenance is responsible for ensuring all systems, such as propulsion and those to control the environment, are running correctly and repairs when required. These decisions directly affect the ability of highly trained technicians in the control room to navigate and maintain depth, ultimately determining a submarine's success or failure on its mission. This approach to generating a variety of cross-functional mini-teams results in an integrated and robust crew designed for long-term deep-sea exploration missions. From the day-to-day operations aboard a nuclear submarine, it's essential to delve into the very foundation and function of these maritime leviathans. The design of a submarine is a marvel of modern engineering, tailored to operate efficiently under the pressures and challenges of the ocean depths. The concept of a self-contained vessel underneath the sea has already been in the human imagination for centuries. In order to travel underwater, submarines must function by adhering to some key laws of nature, including Archimedes' principle for buoyancy and Boyle's law. These vessels are designed to manage the extreme conditions of the ocean depths. Submarines are built with a double hull structure. The outer hull leads to its streamlined design. And inside, there is a thick pressure hull that provides protection for submariners from high underwater pressures and cold temperatures. Stretching between these hulls are ballast tanks, necessary for maintaining the submarine's buoyancy so it can either dive or surface at its discretion. That requires nearly constant balancing of a submarine, similar to trying to balance on a seesaw. To stay level, the crew must keep adjusting these weights manually. Like an airplane, submarines have a rudder for steering and diving planes to control the depth. Newer submarines, like the advanced Virginia-class sub recently developed by General Dynamics, also feature extra bow plane control surfaces at many speeds. As we've navigated the complex design and operation of submarines, it's equally crucial to understand how these underwater fortresses sustain their missions over prolonged periods. Replenishment of supplies is not just a logistical need, but a critical factor in maintaining the operational readiness and morale of the crew. Resupplying a submarine requires exact and complex procedures based on what supplies need to be obtained when needed. Helicopters deliver lighter items like food, medical supplies, or parts to subs that partially surface. Quick operation ensues and the crew collects these packages from the top of the submarine to reduce exposure. On the other hand, heavier or bulk supplies need torsion of a more vigorous approach. Cargo aircraft, like C-17, fly over to the location she's at and drop things into the ocean for her. Built to float, these packages are then collected up by a small team in a rigid hulled inflatable boat, RHIB. Meaning the submarine can remain stocked with essentials like fuel and food or her mission essential crew. Navigation of submarines through the Arctic is particularly problematic, especially when that entails breaking up thick ice packs on surfacing. Submarines fitted for Arctic operation can come through ice, occasionally surfacing only with a visible sail tower, like in the image above. In this process of what is called ice surfacing, Certain calculations are needed to determine where the thin spots are for them to be broken. The poured sails from these submarines are reinforced for this, as they were designed to punch through ice. But when nature forms thick ice above the hatches, crew members are tasked with hacking through the frozen surface using chainsaws and picks. Its importance goes beyond just crew access as it is the point at which supplies will be exchanged. So, as said before, any gear protecting against cold weather would have also to be provided for all of them. Arctic submarine missions are key to advancing scientific understanding of the Arctic, augmenting maritime domain awareness in a challenging operating environment and maintaining presence against potential strategic competitors. Submarines use advanced sonar systems, which have been modified to function in the extreme environment of this eerily silent and dark world. They frequently participate in specialized exercises such as ISEX, which is conducted by navies to improve their skills for ice-covered waters. The exercises improve the submarines' scientific and security missions, typifying how design and operations are necessary in. The vital assets of naval warfare, submarines, eventually reach the end of their service lives and are decommissioned efficiently. The recycling process of submarines is complex, especially for nuclear-powered ones, mainly due to the fact that it involves meticulous steps to ensure safety, environmental protection, and the recovery of valuable materials. For decades, the United States has embraced a disposal and recycling process that allows it to get the most out of the ships. The process consists of defueling and decommissioning, and if applicable, nuclear reactor disposal. It is a long and often time-consuming process, but it ensures that maximum value is obtained from the dismantled ship. The Benjamin Franklin-class ballistic mission submarine, known as the USS James K. Polk, was decommissioned in 1999 after more than three decades of service. The process started when the submarine was loaded into a dry dock at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. A dry dock is a long man-made canal that can be flooded or drained to provide workers access to all parts of a ship's hull. When it comes to a submarine, the dry dock must be flooded to allow the sub to enter easily. This step is typically performed with the help of several tugboats. Once in place, the gate of the dry dock is sealed, and the water is pumped out again. The next process is removing all valuable components and any items that may be useful. As the cutting process begins, the hull is divided into three or four large sections. Depending on the size of the submarine, which makes it much easier for the workers to access the interior and disassemble various components. Throughout this process, the submarine sits on a set of rails at the bottom of the dry dock, making it easier for the crews to access areas under the submarine if necessary. The hull and the interior are slowly dismantled piece by piece. Due to the the massive size and weight of the materials being dealt with. It is important to make sure each component is supported by heavy-duty pulley and chain systems during the dismantling process. This practice prevents them from falling after they are cut away from the main section, ultimately securing the components and lives of the crew working there. Since the beginning of shipyards, heavy lifting cranes have played a vital role in both developing and dismantling ships. Even when the ship is cut apart, each component of the vessel can still weigh thousands of pounds, which can only be moved with the help of a crane hanging hundreds of feet in the air. The crane operator communicates with the crew on the ground while moving each component deliberately, as one wrong move could send it falling. This will not only risk the lives of the workers below, but also jeopardize the component in the vast and mysterious world beneath the waves. Submarines remain one of humankind's greatest engineering achievements and strategic tools. They combine stealth, endurance, and firepower to project strength far beyond visible horizons. From their intricate double hull construction to their ability to operate under crushing pressure and in complete silence, submarines represent the pinnacle of maritime design. That's the end of this video. I hope you enjoyed it. Make sure to subscribe to this channel so you don't miss any of our new content. See you next time.