Navy fixes a non-problem with world's first coed sub
U.S. can now man (person?) a submarine with the full Diversity of personkind, which is our Strength.
Since World War II, when U.S. attack submarines did enormous damage to the Japanese merchant fleet feeding the home islands and Japanese troops on defensive outposts, the U.S. Navy has invested enormously in submarines. The U.S. then sent the first nuclear-powered sub to sea in 1954 and the first nuclear missile sub to sea in 1959.
Combined, the two technologies added enormous stability to the Mutual Assured Destruction strategy’s tripod of bombers, land-based missiles, and undersea missiles, since the last were unfindable and thus not in any danger of a preemptive first strike.
In an era when the vulnerability of American aircraft carriers to Chinese missile strikes is much debated, the underseas fleet appears to be a prime deterrent to a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
The US has experienced a few submarine disasters, such as the loss of the Thresher nuclear attack sub in 1963, but in general, American subs have been something American civilians haven’t had to worry about much. They’re out there, somewhere, and they’re doing a good job. During an era when Navy surface personnel have blundered into a number of embarrassing mistakes, you don’t hear much about the submariners.
All this time, U.S. sub crews were all male, with reported high esprit de corps.
So, because American submarines aren’t broken, the Navy is fixing them.
From NBC News:
First coed submarine joins Navy fleet
Men and women will operate the sub “side by side” for the first time. "The future of Naval warfare starts here, and it’s more inclusive, stronger and more capable than ever," the Navy said in a video posted to social media.
Sept. 14, 2024, 12:23 PM PDT
By Rebecca Cohen
The U.S. Navy made history on Saturday by commissioning its first-ever coed submarine, the USS New Jersey, marking a new era of inclusivity beneath the oceans’ surface….
USS New Jersey is the "first fully integrated submarine built for both male and female sailors" in the 100-year history of submarines, according to the video posted by the Navy.
"It is an honor that we are the first to have this slice of that particular narrative," one woman who appears to be a member of the Navy said in the video.
It's "a testament to the strength that diversity brings to our Navy," the voiceover in the video said.
Men and women will operate the sub "side by side" for the first time, "united in purpose, skill and determination," the voiceover proclaimed.
The video noted that the addition of the USS New Jersey to the Navy fleet is "a symbol of progress" that is "breaking barriers as it protects our shores."…
"This is really the first time that the Navy is truly planning for the future regarding manning and taking advantage of the entire population for finding those rare humans that can be and should be submariners," a second woman in the video, who also appears to be in the Navy, said.
Let me guess … submariners will now waste a lot of time finding a non-sexist synonym for “manning,” and eventually some old salts who can’t learn the new term — “Humaning?” “Personing” — will have their careers ended over their Sexist Language.
Modifications aboard the ship included more doors and washrooms to install separated sleeping and bathing areas for the coed crew, Stars and Stripes, an outlet that provides news for U.S. military members, reported.
Other modifications include lowering overhead valves and making them easier to turn, and installing steps in front of triple-high bunk beds and stacked laundry machines.
The changes to the ship's design were made to accommodate the growing number of women who join the Navy as submariners, Stars and Stripes reported. According to the outlet, The Navy has seen the number of female officers double and enlisted sailors in the submarine force triple in the last five years.
Currently there are in excess of 60,000 enlisted women serving in the U.S. Navy, according to Women in the Navy.com. As of August, 730 women were assigned to operational submarines, Stars and Stripes reported….
"The future of Naval warfare starts here, and it's more inclusive, stronger and more capable than ever," the Navy video said.
Another advantage will be that submarines can now participate in all of the fun that comes when an old salt decides he’s really a woman and insists on dressing up like Admiral Rachel Levine on a submarine.
I'm sure submariners' wives will love this.
The only way I can see this working is giving the females a depo shot before and during deployment. I toured an LA-class attack sub once (my cousin was the XO) and to call the quarters "intimate" would be an understatement.
Well, a US submarine struck an undersea mountain a couple of years ago. The heavily redacted accident report was pretty withering to read. My strong impression is that the overall level of competency isn’t what it was forty years ago.
I’d say that operating a submarine is probably the highest g-loaded occupation in the military, even higher than flying a fast jet. All the enlisted men have to be sharp as hell. We will likely see the first operational loss of a submarine since the Scorpion in the next few years.