How did Nuclear power affect Royal Navy submarines?
The advent of nuclear power reactors for use onboard submarines during the 1950s provided the solution to one of the main problems faced by the Submarine Service. World War Two had illustrated how valuable submarines were to naval warfare, but it also showed their vulnerability to counter detection. Diesel powered submarines had to regularly surface in order to re-charge batteries and refresh their air, offering an opportunity for their detection and destruction. Nuclear reactors provided enough power to drive boats through the water faster than most surface warships and also powered life support systems that meant the submarine could remain dived for as long as necessary, limited only by the endurance of the crew.
