Looks like this idea fell through?
Opposition to the time-honored all-male tradition has been strong. Submarines are extremely space limited and the Navy has always maintained that designing and maintaining co-ed subs would make them too expensive. Now, however, with the backing of outgoing President George Bush, the Navy plans to get women into submarines and avoid mixing with seamen by making two US Virginia class subs consist of all-female crew and officers.
One of the first female Prospective Commanding Officers for submarines, Commander Sarah Bentworth, is eager to get started. She spend two tours aboard the USS Virginia in order to prepare for her first sub command. The Navy spokesman says the plan should be implemented by Dec 2009.
Most navies prohibited women from serving on submarines, even after they had been permitted to serve on surface warships. The Royal Norwegian Navy became the first navy to allow female crew on its submarines in 1985. The Royal Danish Navy allowed for female submariners in 1988.[16] Others followed suit including the Swedish Navy (1989),[17] the Royal Australian Navy (1998) and Canadian Navy (2002). In 1995, Solveig Krey of the Royal Norwegian Navy became the first female officer to assume command on a military submarine, HNoMS Kobben.[18]
The British Royal Navy also does not permit women to serve on its submarines because of "medical concerns for the safety of the foetus and hence its mother" due to the potentially compromised air quality onboard submarines.[19]
It was similarly dangers to the pregnant woman and her fetus that barred females from submarine service in Sweden 1983, when all other positions where made available for them in the Swedish Navy. Pregnant woman are still not allowed to serve on submarines in Sweden. However, the policy makers thought that it was discriminatory with a general ban and demanded that females should be tried on their individual merits and have their suitability evaluated and compared to other candidates. Further, the risk that a female submariner should be unaware of getting pregnant was deemed to be very low.[17]
Women have served on U.S. Navy surface ships since 1993 but do not serve on submarines. The Navy only allows three exceptions for women being on board military submarines: female civilian technicians for a few days at most; women midshipmen on an overnight during summer training for both Navy ROTC and Naval Academy; family members for one-day dependent cruises.[20]
Both the U.S. and British navies operate nuclear-powered submarines which deploy for periods of six months or longer, whereas other navies which permit women on submarines operate conventionally powered submarines, which deploy for much shorter periods, usually only for one or two months.[21] No nation [my emphasis] using nuclear submarines currently permits women to serve onboard them.[22] Removing the ban in the U.S. Navy has been put to congressional lawmakers by Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen, following a review by Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead.[23]
Women have served on U.S. Navy surface ships since 1993 but do not serve on submarines.
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My ex-wife served on surface ships starting in 1973. She is a retired senior chief.
I’m just an old ‘pig boat’ bubble head.