The Hunt for Red October popular belief that Clancy had access to top-secret intelligence in researching for the novel, he consulted technical manuals, discussions with former submariners and books like Norman Polmar’s "Guide to the Soviet Navy" and "Combat Fleets of the World" in order to maintain accuracy in describing Soviet submarines. He then submitted the first draft of the novel to the Naval Institute Press, where he previously wrote an article on the MX missile for their magazine "Proceedings of the U.S. Naval Institute". Three weeks later, the publication company returned his manuscript, along with a request to cut about a hundred pages’ worth
The Hunt for Red October are many deviations, including "Red October" traveling up the Penobscot River in Maine to dry dock, and the "caterpillar drive" being described as a magnetohydrodynamic drive system, essentially, "a jet engine for the water". The film received mainly positive reviews from critics, holding an 87% rating from Rotten Tomatoes based on 66 reviews. It was the 6th top-grossing film of the year, generating $122 million in North America and more than $200 million worldwide in box office. In a 1991 interview, Clancy remarked of the film's success: "It was reasonably true to the spirit of the book, although the movie