NUKE SUB BREAK-IN

Sky News ^ | 17:06 UK, Saturday November 16, 2002 | Sky News

[colette_g]

NUKE SUB BREAK-IN

Two people were questioned by police after a boarding a nuclear submarine inside a top-security naval base.

An anti-nuclear campaign group claimed two of its members even managed to ring the sub's bell.

The incident sparked fears over security at the base.

The intruders were found inside the Devonport Naval Base, Plymouth, where HMS Vanguard is undergoing a re-fit.

They were arrested by Ministry of Defence police.

A Royal Navy spokeswoman today said the pair had been found on the submarine.

"They got on to the outer casing of the submarine and broke a fire alarm box. They didn't actually ring the ship's bell," she said.

The campaign group Trident Ploughshares is currently holding a four-day "peace camp" in Plymouth.

A statement from the group today said its activists had entered the naval base, showing MoD security to be "woefully inadequate".

Last Updated: 17:06 UK, Saturday November 16, 2002

[Amerigomag]

Corrected title:

NUKE SUB BREAK-ON

[wcbtinman]

"It's time that the Royal Navy put armed guards..."

Then they would have to give them guns! With real bullets! Oooh the horror!

[goldwater was right]

I think it's just a difference of style and rules between US and UK Navies. A friend of mine was in Hong Kong for R&R during VN War and noticed the Brits didn't have rat guards on their ship's lines. He asked their gurad why they didn't and the Brit said, "Rats aren't allowed on board." Harrumph!

[Dianna]

When I was in the Navy I had one occasion to visit the nuclear sub base, but was told point blankly that you try to set foot on one of those boats without proper authorization, and you could very well get shot. But then again that was 30 years ago, I guess times have changed.

My husband has been out for 4 years. Back then, even as a wife, I was very closely supervised whenever I came near the boat. And there was no way I could even get down to the subs without a lower base sticker and showing my military ID.

[RaceBannon]

If you keep playing games, you're through!

I'm Through? Can I go home now?

[Kerberos]

"And there was no way I could even get down to the subs without a lower base sticker and showing my military ID."

Which is how it should be. It is beyond my ability to grasp how this people could even get this close to a nuclear sub, let alone on it.

But fortunately this is a Brit problem, so I can still labor under the illusion that security at our bases is better than that.

[Boot Hill]

Slipjack suggests:   "They should make examples out of them and Shoot them on Site without a trial as Saboteurs."

What? Have you take leave of your senses? Why would you go and ruin two perfectly good practice torpedoes?

--Boot Hill

[El Gato]

Apparently we have a security breach on a nuclear sub.

Actually the Brits have the breach, it's a Brit Breach. :)

[esszed]

..my, your opiniions are quite frightening? What's this "shoot on site" nonsense?

PS have you ever been wrong?

[esszed]

Protesting, it's not about violence (except in extreme cases) - it's about publicity and getting folk like us to talk about the issues.
They wanted to ring the bell, to say, "hey, listen to us...". They didn't want to incite terror.

[canalabamian]

#9. HHHAAAAAAHHHAAA! Churchill said it best, "don't talk to me about naval tradition...it is only rum, sodomy, and the lash".

[Grampa Dave]

People who break into military bases in times of war should be shot. That is not my opinion but a long standing policy of countries who want to survive and not put their members of the military at risk.

Those who disagree want the bad guys to win in the name of Poltical Correctness, Diversity and of course Peace. It is obvious you don't want to survive and are politically correct. Therefore, you approve of this break in and anything the peaceful ones do to the military personnel on our side.

The bombing that all most sunk the USS Cole is what happens when people like you have their way in bad times.

Our sailors were not armed on the Cole nor could they fire back at the nice civilians who killed and wounded a lot of sailors and marines on the Cole.

You probably cheered when our sailors and marines where killed by the peaceful al Qaeda thugs with the civilian bombing of the USS Cole.

[ccmay]

I sincerely hope this would not be possible upon an American sub.

It would be possible, or at least it was not long ago. Read Rogue Warrior by Richard Marcinko.

-ccm

[harpseal]

I would mske mention at the local US sub base getting aboard a nuclear sub is not impossible as annual security execises point out to the base security personnel but it is getting more difficult for the op-for to succeed. We will let you know how next summer's exercises go all of the routes that have proven successful so far are pretty well shit off. The training and deployment of base security has been well upgraded but still not enough range time for the e1-e4's who are carrying the m16's.

I note the op for has some skills that are not always readily apparent to base security and we are nothing if not imaginative.

Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown

[harpseal]

I do know that at least the sailors on the active nuclear submarines at the nearby US sub base are under orders to shoot any intruder aboard any active submarine. Note USS nautilus is still commissioned as a nuclear submarine but is now a museum instead of an active duty ship. This is as it should be.

Stay well Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown

[Grampa Dave]

You posted what should be our policy with any active duty ship and not just our subs in this war on terrorism:

I do know that at least the sailors on the active nuclear submarines at the nearby US sub base are under orders to shoot any intruder aboard any active submarine.

[harpseal]

I can only state that which I know I not have direct information on other vessels or bases.

Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown

[Travis McGee]

People who break into military bases in times of war should be shot.

Amen, exactly correct.

[Travis McGee]

Harpseal, didn't a red cell guy get shot and killed by the watchstander doing an unannounced security test on a sub?

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

"They should make examples out of them and Shoot them on Site without a trial as Saboteurs."

Bingo!