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Although only men serve
in submarines, women and men alike build and maintain them. Workers must
deploy a wide range of skills, from basic moving or lifting to sophisticated
electronic maintenance.
Welding Equipment
A submarine's pressure hull is the structure that protects men and equipment
from the crushing weight of the surrounding water. At a depth of 700 feet
(200 m), not the deepest modern submarines go, water pressure reaches
43,700 pounds per square foot (21,900 g/cm2). To survive such pressures,
the welded joints in the hull must be flawless. Gift of Electric Boat
Division, General Dynamics Corporation
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Missile Hatches
All 16 missile hatches are open, as workers complete construction of USS
Sam Rayburn (SSBN-635) at Newport News shipyard during 1964. Courtesy
Naval Historical Center
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