Submarine Records — Deepest, Fastest & Most Extraordinary

The deepest solo dive in history and the deepest crewed dive ever recorded. Victor Vescovo descended to the bottom of the Challenger Deep in this Triton Submarines-built full ocean depth vessel. Unlike the Trieste, the Limiting Factor is a reusable, fully maneuverable vehicle — it made multiple dives to the bottom. Vescovo completed the "Five Deeps Expedition," diving the deepest point in all five oceans.

The first crewed vessel to reach the deepest point in the ocean. The Trieste was a bathyscaphe — a free-diving deep-sea submersible — designed by Auguste Piccard. On January 23, 1960, Piccard's son Jacques and US Navy Lieutenant Don Walsh descended for 4 hours and 47 minutes to the bottom. They observed a flatfish, proving that life exists at the deepest point on Earth. The feat was not repeated for over 52 years.

Film director James Cameron became the third person to reach the Challenger Deep and the first to do so solo. His custom-built Deepsea Challenger was a vertically oriented submersible with a unique "vertical torpedo" design for fast descent and ascent. Cameron spent approximately 3 hours on the bottom, collecting samples and filming with 3D cameras.

The deepest dive ever achieved by a military submarine. The Soviet Mike-class submarine K-278 Komsomolets had a titanium inner hull that enabled unprecedented operational depth. Its test depth was approximately 1,000m, with a crush depth estimated at 1,500m — far deeper than any Western submarine. Komsomolets was tragically lost to fire in 1989, sinking in 1,680m of water with 42 crew killed.

The deepest-diving operational submarine in the US Navy, used as a research vessel. The Dolphin's small size (950 tons surfaced) and HY-100 steel hull allowed extraordinary depth capability. Over her 40-year career (1968-2007), she set the record for deepest-operating US submarine and served as a test platform for deep-submergence technologies, sonar systems, and ocean research.

The fastest submarine ever built. The K-222's titanium hull reduced weight and allowed a hydrodynamic hull form optimized for speed. However, at full speed the submarine was extraordinarily noisy — reportedly detectable at enormous ranges. The extreme construction cost earned it the nickname "Golden Fish." Only one Papa-class was built.

The Alfa class used a revolutionary liquid-metal reactor (lead-bismuth coolant) that was extremely compact, allowing a very small, very fast submarine. The Alfa could accelerate to over 40 knots in under 2 minutes and outrun most Western torpedoes. Its titanium hull allowed diving to 400m+. However, the liquid-metal reactor was extremely difficult to maintain — the coolant solidified if it fell below 125C.

The USS Albacore was a research submarine that pioneered the teardrop hull form — the streamlined shape used by every modern submarine. With its revolutionary hull design and (later) contra-rotating propellers, Albacore achieved speeds over 33 knots on diesel-electric power alone — faster than many nuclear submarines. The teardrop hull reduced drag by 50% compared to traditional WWII hull designs.

What is the deepest a submarine has ever gone?

The deepest dive by a crewed vessel was 10,928 meters (35,853 feet) to the bottom of the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, achieved by Victor Vescovo in the DSV Limiting Factor on May 1, 2019. This surpassed the previous record of 10,916 meters set by Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh in the bathyscaphe Trieste on January 23, 1960. Both dives reached the deepest point in the world's oceans.

What is the fastest submarine ever built?

The Soviet K-222 (originally K-162), a Papa-class nuclear submarine, holds the official speed record at 44.7 knots (82.8 km/h) submerged, set on December 18, 1969. Its titanium hull and two nuclear reactors powering steam turbines gave it extraordinary speed, but it was extremely noisy — NATO could detect it across entire ocean basins. It earned the nickname "Golden Fish" due to its enormous construction cost.

What is the largest submarine ever built?

The Soviet/Russian Typhoon class (Project 941 Akula) is the largest submarine ever built at 175 meters long with a submerged displacement of 48,000 tons. By comparison, a US Ohio-class SSBN displaces 18,750 tons. The Typhoon was designed to carry 20 R-39 ballistic missiles and operate under Arctic ice. Only one remains in service as a test platform (TK-208 Dmitry Donskoy).

Who was the first woman to serve on a submarine?

Norway's Solveig Krey became one of the first women to serve on a military submarine in the early 1990s when the Royal Norwegian Navy opened submarine service to women. Sweden followed shortly after. The US Navy opened submarine service to women in 2010, with the first female officers reporting aboard SSBNs in 2011. The UK Royal Navy allowed women on submarines starting in 2013. Australia opened submarine service to women in 1998.

What was the first submarine to sink a warship?

The CSS H.L. Hunley, a hand-cranked Confederate submarine, became the first submarine to sink an enemy warship when it destroyed the USS Housatonic on February 17, 1864, during the American Civil War. The Hunley used a spar torpedo — an explosive charge on the end of a long pole. Unfortunately, the Hunley also sank shortly after the attack, killing all 8 crew members. Its wreck was recovered in 2000.

Has any submarine circumnavigated the world submerged?

Yes. USS Triton (SSRN-586) completed the first submerged circumnavigation of the globe in 1960, following Magellan's route for 36,014 nautical miles (66,700 km) in 84 days without surfacing (Operation Sandblast). The voyage demonstrated the virtually unlimited endurance of nuclear-powered submarines. Captain Edward L. Beach commanded the mission, which remained classified until completion.