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How Submarines Work

The French submarine Le Terribl
The French submarine Le Terrible is inaugurated on March 21, 2008, in Cherbourg, France. Le Terrible was developed entirely through computer-assisted design and will begin service in 2010. See more submarine pictures.
MYCHELE DANIAU/AFP/Getty Images

Submarines are incredible pieces of technology. Not so long ago, a naval force worked entirely above the water; with the addition of the s­ubmarine to the standard naval arsenal, the world below the surface became a battleground as well.

The adaptations and inventions that allow sailors to not only fight a battle, but also live for months or even years underwater are some of the most brilliant developments in military history.

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In this article, you will see how a submarine dives and surfaces in the water, how life support is maintained, how the submarine gets its power, how a submarine finds its way in the deep ocean and how submarines might be rescued.