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<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

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    <periodOfReport>2016-09-19</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000914329</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FEI CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FEIC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001217193</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RICHARDSON JAMES T</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O FEI COMPANY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>5350 NE DAWSON CREEK DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HILLSBORO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>97124-5793</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
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                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
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            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
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            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
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                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
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    <derivativeTable>
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                <value>Stock Options</value>
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            <transactionDate>
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                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2011-04-30</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2017-05-13</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
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                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
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                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options</value>
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                <value>38.83</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
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            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <exerciseDate>
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            <expirationDate>
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            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
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                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
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                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
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                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options</value>
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            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>45.93</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-09-19</value>
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            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
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            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2013-04-30</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2019-05-10</value>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
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                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
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                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>69.44</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-09-19</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2683</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2014-04-30</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2020-05-09</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2683</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>81.89</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-09-19</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
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                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2666</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2015-04-30</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2021-05-08</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2666</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options</value>
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            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>76.31</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-09-19</value>
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            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3911</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2016-04-30</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2022-05-07</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>3911</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>RSUs</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.00</value>
                <footnoteId id="F8"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-09-19</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
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                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1685</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F9"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2016-04-30</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F8"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1685</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
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                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Disposed of at the effective time of the merger of Polpis Merger Sub Co. (&quot;Merger Sub&quot;), a wholly owned subsidiary of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (&quot;Thermo Fisher&quot;), with and into the Issuer (the &quot;Merger&quot;), pursuant to that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger dated May 26, 2016, between the Issuer, Thermo Fisher and Merger Sub (the &quot;Merger Agreement&quot;), in exchange for a cash payment of $107.50 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The option became fully vested on April 30, 2011. At or immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger, the unexercised portion of the option was cancelled in exchange for a cash payment equal to (x) the difference between $107.50 and the per share exercise price of the option, multiplied by (y) the number of shares subject to such portion of the option.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The option became fully vested on April 30, 2012. At or immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger, the unexercised portion of the option was cancelled in exchange for a cash payment equal to (x) the difference between $107.50 and the per share exercise price of the option, multiplied by (y) the number of shares subject to such portion of the option.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The option became fully vested on April 30, 2013. At or immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger, the unexercised portion of the option was cancelled in exchange for a cash payment equal to (x) the difference between $107.50 and the per share exercise price of the option, multiplied by (y) the number of shares subject to such portion of the option.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">The option became fully vested on April 30, 2014. At or immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger, the unexercised portion of the option was cancelled in exchange for a cash payment equal to (x) the difference between $107.50 and the per share exercise price of the option, multiplied by (y) the number of shares subject to such portion of the option.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">The option became fully vested on April 30, 2015. At or immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger, the unexercised portion of the option was cancelled in exchange for a cash payment equal to (x) the difference between $107.50 and the per share exercise price of the option, multiplied by (y) the number of shares subject to such portion of the option.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">The option became fully vested on April 30, 2016. At or immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger, the unexercised portion of the option was cancelled in exchange for a cash payment equal to (x) the difference between $107.50 and the per share exercise price of the option, multiplied by (y) the number of shares subject to such portion of the option.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">Each of the restricted share units (&quot;RSUs&quot;) represents the right to receive, following vesting, one share of the Issuer's common stock.  These RSUs do not expire, unless forfeited under the terms of the RSUs.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F9">The RSUs became fully vested on April 30, 2016. At or immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger, each RSU was assumed by Thermo Fisher and converted into an award representing a right to receive a cash amount equal to $107.50.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Bradley J. Thies, by power of attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-09-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
