They were first widely used during World War I (1914–1918), and are now used in many navies, large and small. Īlthough experimental submarines had been built earlier, submarine design took off during the 19th century, and they were adopted by several navies. Submarines are referred to as boats rather than ships irrespective of their size. The term is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely operated vehicles and robots, as well as medium-sized or smaller vessels, such as the midget submarine and the wet sub. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The first ballistic missile submarine USS George Washington (SSBN-598), commissioned 1959Ī submarine (or sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater.The first nuclear-powered submarine USS Nautilus (SSN-571), commissioned 1954:.World War II fleet submarine, commissioned 1941–1945.
