Submarines generally dive to depths between around 300 meters to over 1000 meters depending on their type, design, and purpose. Military submarines such as the U.S. Los Angeles class operate safely around 600-700 meters with test depths near 250-450 meters, while some Russian submarines reportedly reach maximum depths of up to 1200-1300 meters. The deepest operational military type, like the Soviet Komsomolets, reached just over 1000 meters, and the U.S. USS Dolphin reached 910 meters. Specialized deep-diving submersibles, designed for exploration rather than military use, can go much deeper. The Trieste and Deepsea Challenger submersibles descended nearly 11,000 meters to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, the deepest point in Earth's oceans. Submersibles like the Triton 36000/2 have certification for unlimited depth, allowing them to reach these extreme depths for research. In summary, conventional military submarines operate usually between 300 and 1000+ meters deep, while scientific deep-diving submersibles can reach depths close to 11,000 meters in ocean trenches. This range is constrained by the immense water pressure, which increases approximately one atmosphere every 10 meters of depth, requiring pressure-resistant hull materials like high-strength steel or titanium.
