60 Years Ago, a Submerged Submarine Circled the Globe for the First Time
60 Years Ago, a Submerged Submarine Circled the Globe for the First Time (2020)
In 1960, the nuclear-powered USS Triton completed Operation Sandblast, becoming the first submarine to circumnavigate the globe entirely underwater. This historic mission proved that nuclear energy allowed submarines to operate indefinitely submerged, shifting naval strategy from surface cruising to deep-water stealth. The vessel traveled over 26,000 nautical miles, demonstrating a new era of naval capability.
One surprising fact about submarines is that for decades they spent more time on the surface of the ocean than underneath.