Multiple sections will soon come together to form enormous ring-shaped segments of the future submarine.
Not only do these need to be a particular length, but the manner in which they’re trimmed matters too: The ends must have a specific bevel shape so each piece can join precisely with its neighbor. ↑ Sparks fly as a robot cuts the bent plates. The press bends the material slightly farther than necessary, ensuring it springs back into the exact crescent required. The thick steel (its exact width is a secret) starts in flat sheets, which this massive machine exerts thousands of tons of force to curve. It can dive deeper than 800 feet, where the pressure will be more than 300 pounds per square inch.
INSIDE A SUBMARINE SKIN
↑ A submarine’s outermost layer of metal skin is its main defense against the drink. Here’s how these subs-known in the biz as boats-come together at facilities in Quonset Point, Rhode Island, and Groton, Connecticut. A single mistake in their meticulous metalworking could prove catastrophic in the murky depths. For workers at Electric Boat, an arm of General Dynamics responsible for many of these vessels, craftsmanship is more than a matter of pride.
What we do know is that each of these submersibles will protect a complement of sailors from the ocean’s incredible pressure-and from the nuclear reactor contained within, which powers everything from the propulsion system to the lights by heating water into steam. Their maximum diving depth? That’s a secret. Their mission? To conduct surveillance, fight other vessels, and rarely, if needed, launch conventional cruise missiles at terrestrial targets. The newest group of American nuclear-powered attack submarines is the Virginia class, also known as SSN-774, a collection of underwater ships that stretch 377 feet long. BEFORE SUBMARINES can carry out their stealthy jobs beneath the waves, they begin their lives in pieces on land.
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