Towed antennas for US submarine communications: a historical perspective

The evolution of the submarine and the development of radio communication are interrelated. From the earliest days, the effectiveness of a submarine as a war-fighting vessel was linked to its ability to receive orders via the then new medium of radio. This paper traces the earliest work that linked the two together - particularly from the viewpoint of the antenna as the ship's electronic "ears" - to the present, where work is being done to provide the "silent service" with the communications sensors needed to participate fully in the battle space of the future.