1953 - USS Tunny equipped to launch Regulus missile.

1954 - USS Nautilus commissioned Sept. 30 as the first nuclear-powered submarine.

1958 - USSR launched its first nuclear-powered submarine.

1959 - USS George Washington was the first of 41 Fleet Ballistic Missile subs designed to launch Polaris A-2 and A-3 missiles underwater.

1964 - The Polaris A-3 was equipped with 3-warhead MIRV.

1971 - Poseidon C-3 missile with MIRV warhead deployed at sea.

1972 - Tomahawk cruise missile became operational.

1977 - Navy fleet of 523 ships included 115 nuclear subs.

1981 - USS Ohio was the first of 14 subs built to carry the C-4 Trident missile.

2000 - Aug. 12 the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk exploded and sank with the loss of all 188 crew.

Sources:

• Chronology of Important Events in Submarine History
• Submarine World Network from Ron Martini
• Submarine History from Brayton Harris
• Nuclear Russian from Bellona Foundation

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