Popular Mechanics: How the Navy Punches a Nuclear Sub Through Arctic Ice
It may look easy, but surfacing a nuclear submarine in the Arctic requires careful preparation.
A submarine bursting through the Arctic ice is a powerful image. But it's not an easy one to pull off.
“The arctic environment is very unique and presents numerous challenges,” Commander Tommy Crosby told Popular Mechanics. “Our focus is to ensure we conduct every surfacing safely and effectively.”
The Arctic is a convenient hiding spot, since sea ice provides submarines with cover making them almost impossible to detect from the air. However, that same sea ice makes communicating (or launching missiles) impossible, which means sometimes subs must crack through the ice with several thousand tons of steel.
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WNU Editor: I am impressed by the science and engineering that is needed to make sure that the sub is not damaged when it surfaces through the ice.
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