Still Inside

When Duane and I and our friends Brock and Bill entered the lobby of the Undersea Naval Museum (yesterday's blog), the docent suggested that we start with the Ocean  and tour clockwise through the exhibits.  That's what I decided to do.

Here I learned the ocean currents control the weather

and of the crushing power of its  depths.

The US Navy uses this information to expand their undersea activities through development of ships and underwater vehicles and equipment such as this bathyscaphe, the first to descend to the Challenger Deep.

Underwater vehicles include torpedoes, mines and ballistic missiles.

The earliest-- spar

and keg torpedoes were used on the ocean surface in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.

Mines were placed under the water and exploded when they came into contact with ships and with submarines which were first used in the Civil War to launch torpedoes.

modern torpedoes

The navy developed ballistic and cruise missiles with nuclear warheads.  Cruise missiles operate under their own power.  Ballistic missiles follow a trajectory after launch.

model of a submarine that launches ballistic missiles.

The US has used nuclear weapons to deter nuclear war by discouraging enemies from attacking us 

The idea is that mutual assumed destruction (MAD) drives the development of arms control treaties.

Unfortunately, not every country's leaders agree.

Next--positive uses of equipment and vehicles.

Louise and Duane