100 years of submarine periscopes
2017 sees Thales
celebrating 100 years of
supplying submarine periscopes
and above-water visual
systems to the Royal Navy (RN).
In December 1915, the
Admiralty approached Glasgow-
based Barr & Stroud, now
part of Thales, to investigate
the feasibility of integrating
an optical rangefinder into
a periscope.
As the UK’s
leading supplier of military
rangefinders, the company rose
to the challenge and within
seven months had built a fully
functioning mock-up. That
led to its first contract for a
quantity of six FY1 periscopes
being placed on 15 September
1916.
Barr & Stroud officially
delivered its first submarine
periscope to the navy in
August 1917.
SA Artillery