*Falklands War 1982*

Falklands War 1982

>> Newly Released Files and Documents  <<

 The Falklands War (Spanish: Guerra de las Malvinas/Guerra del Atlántico Sur), also called the Falklands Conflict/Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom (UK) over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. The Falkland Islands consist of two large and many small islands in the South Atlantic Ocean east of Argentina; their name and sovereignty over them have long been disputed.

The Falklands War started on Friday, 2 April 1982, with the Argentine invasion and occupation of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. Britain launched a naval task force to engage the Argentine Navy and Argentine Air Force, and retake the islands by amphibious assault. The conflict ended with the Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982, and the islands remained under British control. The war lasted 74 days. It resulted in the deaths of 257 British and 649 Argentine soldiers, sailors, and airmen, and the deaths of three civilian Falkland Islanders. It is the most recent external conflict to be fought by the UK without any allied states.

Two separate British naval task forces (surface vessels and submarines) and the Argentine fleet were operating in the neighbourhood of the Falklands, and soon came into conflict. The first naval loss was the World War II vintage Argentine light cruiser ARA General Belgrano. The nuclear-powered submarine HMS Conqueror sank the Belgrano on 2 May. Three hundred and twenty-three members of Belgrano's crew died in the incident. Over 700 men were rescued from the open ocean despite cold seas and stormy weather. The losses from Belgrano totalled just over half of the Argentine deaths in the Falklands conflict and the loss of the ARA General Belgrano hardened the stance of the Argentine government.

Regardless of controversies over the sinking, it had a crucial strategic effect: the elimination of the Argentine naval threat. After her loss, the entire Argentine fleet, with the exception of the conventional submarine ARA San Luis, returned to port and did not leave again for the duration of hostilities. The two escorting destroyers and the battle group centred on the aircraft carrier ARA Veinticinco de Mayo both withdrew from the area, ending the direct threat to the British fleet that their pincer movement had represented.

In a separate incident later that night, British forces engaged an Argentine patrol gunboat, the ARA Alferez Sobral. At the time, the Alferez Sobral was searching for the crew of the Argentine Air Force English Electric Canberra light bomber shot down on 1 May. Two Royal Navy Lynx helicopters fired four Sea Skua missiles against her. Badly damaged and with eight crew dead, the Sobral managed to return to Puerto Deseado two days later, but the Canberra's crew were never found.

United Kingdom – A total of 255 British servicemen and 3 female Falklands Island civilians were killed during the Falklands War.

• Royal Navy – 86 + 2 Hong Kong laundrymen (see below)
• Royal Marines – 27 (2 officers, 14 NCOs and 11 marines)
• Royal Fleet Auxiliary – 4 + 4 Hong Kong laundrymen
• Merchant Navy – 6 + 2 Hong Kong sailors
• British Army – 123 (7 officers, 40 NCOs and 76 privates)
• Royal Air Force – 1 (1 officer)
• Falklands Islands civilians – 3 women killed by friendly fire

Of the 86 Royal Navy personnel, 22 were lost in HMS Ardent , 19 + 1 lost in HMS Sheffield , 19 + 1 lost in HMS Coventry and 13 lost in HMS Glamorgan. Fourteen naval cooks were among the dead, the largest number from any one branch in the Royal Navy.
Thirty-three of the British Army's dead came from the Welsh Guards, 21 from the 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, 18 from the 2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment , 19 from the Special Air Service (SAS), 3 from Royal Signals and 8 from each of the Scots Guards and Royal Engineers Only one dead was from the 1st battalion/7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles.
Two more British deaths may be attributed to Operation Corporate, bringing the total to 260:

• Captain Brian Biddick from HMHS Uganda underwent an emergency operation on the voyage to the Falklands, was repatriated by an RAF medical flight to the hospital at Wroughton where he died on 12 May.
• Paul Mills from HMS Coventry suffered from complications from a skull fracture sustained in the sinking of his ship and died on 29 March 1983; he is buried in his home town of Swavesey.
  
  Relations between Argentina and UK were restored in 1989 under the umbrella formula which states that the islands' sovereignty dispute would remain aside.   

Ships lost and Damaged

Saturday 1st May 

HMS Alacrity - Slightly damaged by bomb near Misses 

HMS Arrow - Slightly damaged by cannon Fire 

HMS Glamorgan - Slightly damaged by bomb near Misses, All off Stanley by Daggers of FAA Grupo 6. 

Tuesday 4th May 

HMS SHEFFIELD - mortally damaged south east of Falklands by Exocet missile fired by Super Etendard of CANA 2 Esc. Burnt out and SANK in Tow on Monday 10th May. 

Wednesday 12th May 

HMS Glasgow - moderately damaged off Stanley by unexploded bomb (1) dropped by A-4B Skyhawks of FAA Grupo 5. Bomb Passed through Hull Damage but took some days to repair and she shortly Returned to UK. 

Friday 21st May 

HMS Antrim - seriously damaged in Falkland Sound outside San Carlos Water by unexploded bomb (2) dropped by Daggers of FAA Grupo 6. UXB removed but Damage took some days to repair. 

HMS Broadsword - Slightly damaged outside San Carlos Water by cannon Fire from Daggers of Grupo 6. 

HMS Argonaut - Slightly damaged outside San Carlos Water by rockets and cannon Fire from Aermacchi MB.339A of CANA 1 Esc, and then seriously damaged by two unexploded bombs (3/4) dropped by A-4B Skyhawks of FAA Grupo 5. Removing the UXB's and Carrying out Repairs took A number of days and Declared Operational Although, she soon sailed for the UK. 

HMS Brilliant - Slightly damaged outside San Carlos Water by cannon Fire from Daggers of Grupo 6. (Different Attack from "Broadsword") 

HMS ARDENT - Badly damaged in Grantham Sound by Bombs - hits, UXB's (5 +) and near misses - dropped by Daggers of Grupo 6, then mortally damaged by bombs from A-4Q Skyhawks of CANA 3 Esc off North West Island. SANK the following Evening. 

Sunday 23rd May 

HMS ANTELOPE - damaged in San Carlos Water by two unexploded Bombs (6/7) dropped by A-4B Skyhawks of Grupo 5. One of the Bombs Exploded That Evening Being defused and while she caught Fire and SANK next Day. 

Monday 24th May 

RFA Sir Galahad - damaged by unexploded bomb (8) and out of Action for some days, 

RFA Sir Lancelot - damaged by unexploded bomb ( 9) Fully Operational and not for Almost Three weeks, 

RFA Sir Bedivere - Slightly damaged by glancing bomb, All in San Carlos Water Probably by A-4C Skyhawks of FAA Grupo 4. 

Tuesday 25th May 

HMS Broadsword - damaged North of Pebble Island by bomb from A-4B Skyhawk of Grupo 5 Bouncing up through her ​​stern and out Again to land in the sea. 

HMS COVENTRY - sunk North of Pebble Island in Same Attack by Three Bombs. 

ATLANTIC CONVEYOR - mortally damaged North east of Falklands by Exocet Missile fired by Super Etendard of CANA 2 Esc. Burnt out and later SANK in Tow. 

Saturday 29th May 

British Wye - hit North of South Georgia by bomb Dropped by C-130 Hercules of FAA Grupo 1 Which bounced into the sea Without Exploding 

Tuesday 8th June 

HMS Plymouth - damaged in Falkland Sound off San Carlos Water by four unexploded bombs (10-13) from Daggers of FAA Grupo 6. 

RFA SIR GALAHAD - mortally damaged off Fitzroy by Bombs from A-4B Skyhawks of Grupo 5 and burnt out. Later in June towed out to sea and sunk as A War grave. 

RFA Sir Tristram - Badly damaged off Fitzroy in Same Attack and Abandoned, but later Returned to UK and repaired. 

LCU F4, HMS Fearless - sunk in Choiseul Sound by bomb from A -4B Skyhawk of Grupo 5. 

Saturday 12th June 

HMS Glamorgan - damaged off Stanley by land-based Exocet Missile.

See also > http://triservice.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/aircraft-losses-during-falklands-war.html

During the Falklands war, British submarines were the first warships to reach the islands and began to enforce the Exclusion Zone around them. Of these vessels, H.M.S. Conqueror (Arrived 16th April) was the one to gain fame, becoming the first nuclear powered submarine to sink an enemy ship in combat. The diesel powered Oberon/Porpoise class H.M.S. Onyx (Arrived 28th May) served in a patrol area along with the two Swiftsure submarines: H.M.S. Spartan (Arrived 12th April) and H.M.S. Splendid (Arrived 19th April). As well as patrolling against Argentine submarines, these Submarines kept the Argentine carrier in dock, along with most of the Argentine Navy. Of those ships and submarines which made sorties against the Task Force, the British submarines prowled for Argentine ships outside the Total Exclusion Zone.

On 12th April, a 200-mile Maritime Exclusion Zone came into operation around the Falklands, this being changed to a Total Exclusion Zone on 30th April. Any Argentine vessels found within the zone were liable to be sunk without warning. The 26th April saw helicopters from the destroyer Antrim, the frigates Brilliant and Plymouth attack, damage and force the Argentinean submarine Santa Fe to run aground and surrender.

H.M.S. Conqueror On the afternoon of the 1st May, H.M.S. Conqueror sighted the cruiser General Belgrano, a World War 2 US-built warship lacking sonar, and its escort of two Exocet-equipped destroyers, which were a pre-eminent threat to the task force. The 2nd of May saw the War Cabinet clear the Conqueror to remove the Belgrano from the theatre. H.M.S. Conqueror fired a pattern of torpedoes from around 2,000 yards and scored two hits. The Argentine cruiser sank rapidly thereafter, although her escort did try to sink the Conqueror with depth-charges they were unsuccessful. The loss of one of its most prestigious units probably caused the Argentine Navy to recall its other units, including their only aircraft carrier, the Veinticinco de Mayo to port.

http://britains-smallwars.com/Falklands/sub.html

RN in Afghanistan

The Royal Navy deploys some 1,000 personnel every year to support UK operations in Afghanistan in a variety of roles. Though many will not leave their bases during a tour, all must be fully prepared for any eventuality.

Royal Navy staff serve in Afghanistan across a range of medical, administrative, logistical and tactical roles, both at the main operating bases, such as those at Camp Bastion and Kandahar, and the smaller forward operating bases.
The Royal Navy ensures that every naval serviceman or woman preparing to deploy to Afghanistan receives the same rigorous package of individual pre-deployment training (also known as OpTAG) as that undertaken by the Army.

Royal Navy Ships and Submarines are also Deployed in and around the Region .. For Security reasons they cannot be named here,they are there to back up the Land and Air Forces as required.The RFA also plays an important roll as well Delivering Logistical support.

The Royal Marines' 3 Commando Brigade is the Royal Navy's amphibious infantry on permanent readiness to deploy across the globe, and is a core component of the UK's Joint Rapid Reaction Force. Together the Royal Navy's amphibious ships and the Brigade represent a highly mobile, self-sustained and versatile organisation, with a strategic power projection capability that is unique among the British armed services.

Having arrived in Afghanistan and completed a final course of training and acclimatisation to prepare them for their six month deployment, the Marines headed from Camp Bastion to their base in Shahzad – which will be their home until October.During that time, 42 Commando (Cdo) will be working alongside members of the Afghan National Army  and Afghan National Police.
 

The unit, who are deployed as part of 3 Commando Brigade on Operation Herrick 14, have now assumed responsibility of Combined Force Nad-e Ali South, which they will command until September 2011.
They took over authority from The 1 Royal Irish, who have completed their tour of duty.

 

Commando Logistic Regiment Royal Marines (CLR RM) is situated at Chivenor in North Devon. It is home to about 620 personnel from all three services, including Mechanical Engineers, Medics and Logisticians. No other unit has such an eclectic mix of cap badges working together.

857 Naval Air Squadron consists of 3 Sea King Airborne Surveillance and Control (SKASaC) Mk 7 helicopters which traditionally embark in the duty Aircraft Carrier as part of a Typed Air Group (TAG). The Squadron  currently operates with 5 Pilots, 10 Observers, 1 Air Engineering Officer, 1 Intelligence Officer and 40 Maintenance and Support Personnel and are based at RNAS Culdrose, in Cornwall.

854 re-formed as a Squadron in December 2006.  Prior to this the Squadron had been working as 849 A Flight.  Operating the Sea King MK7; fitted with the Cerberus Mission and the powerful Searchwater 2000 Radar, the Squadron forms one half of the Royal Navy’s frontline Airborne Surveillance and Control (ASaC) capability.


847 Naval Air Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. It operates the Westland Lynx AH7 helicopter and provides armed reconnaissance and light assault support to 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines. The squadron was previously known as 3 Commando Brigade Air Squadron, from which it re-formed on 1 September 1995.The squadron is based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset.

After Operation Veritas, the attack on Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces following the 9/11 attacks in the United States, it emerged that HMS Trafalgar was the first Royal Navy submarine to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles against Afghanistan,.HMS Triumph was also involved in the initial strikes.

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  Army

Armed Forces Pensions

Armed Forces Pensions

Career Transition Partnership (CTP)

The Ministry of Defence confirmed the final details of planned changes to forces pensions today.
A new armed forces pension scheme comes in from April 2015, bringing with it big changes to how pensions are calculated and when they are paid.
From April 2015 the Future Armed Forces Pension Scheme comes into effect, replacing the various current schemes.
The main changes are:
- It is no longer a final salary scheme, but is based instead on career average salary.
- The pension age rises from 55 to 60.
- The Early Departure Payment is still available at 40, but service leavers can opt to swap it for bigger pension payments later.
Almost 15,000 currently serving personnel will be exempt from the changes because they are too close to retirement age.
There are still details to work through, and it still has to get through parliament, but the experts say they are broadly happy with the deal.
It is just seven years since the last major changes to the armed forces pension scheme, but there is a promise of no more changes for the next 25 years.

(All external links will open in a new window)

Downloads

• Access to contributory state benefits for spouses and civil partners of the armed forces
• Armed Forces Pension Scheme 1975
  The first was introduced in April 1975 and was closed to new entrants from 6th April 2005.
• Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2005
  The new scheme was introduced 6th April 2005 for new entrants.
• Your Compensation Scheme Explained
  This booklet explains new arrangements introduced to compensate for injury, illness or death caused by service after 6th April 2005.
• Your State Pension Entitlement - Explained
  This document from the Forces Pension Society explains the significance of the State Pension to leavers of the Armed Forces.

Pensions calculator
Guidance booklets

Pension scheme regulations

Preserved pensions
Commutation
Attributable benefits (compensation)
Tri-Service pension codes 2002 - 2011
Pension terms glossary
Pensions FAQ
SPVA pension forms

http://www.equinitipaymaster.com/

HMS Raleigh

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The new Lead Naval Military Training School has been designed and constructed for the requirements of the 21st century. It has a requirement to train large numbers of personnel, ranging from the most recent ratings to join the Service through to Commanding Officers, in a varied and wide spectrum of specialized training. These include: Commanding Officer courses, Warfare courses, Royal Naval New Entry training, Ship Protection Organisation courses, Northern Ireland training, Basic rifle and pistol courses, Board and Search Pre Deployment training and a variety of training courses for other International Navies.

Firefighting School

A variety of courses provide firefighting training to initial trainees and seagoing personnel using state of the art gas fired simulators, provided by Flagship Fire Fighting Training Limited.

Damage Control School

Training in leak stopping techniques is provided in a static basic training unit and an advanced Damage Repair Instructional Unit (DRIU). The latter realistically simulates damage to a rolling ship section in extreme weather conditions and is used primarily for ship team training.

NBCD School

The NBCD School provides initial trainees with an introduction to personal and collective NBCD measures. This includes the issue and test of the individual Respirator in a Test Chamber, which is also used by ships and establishments in the area.

Submarine-school

 

Ballistic Submarines (SSBN)

The Vanguard Class SSBN (Ship Submersible Ballistic Nuclear) provides the United Kingdom's strategic nuclear deterrent

Fleet Submarines (SSN)

The SSN (Ship Submersible Nuclear), or Fleet Submarines contribute to peace and security by providing a conventional deterrence to anyone or nation that may pose a threat to world stability

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Eligibility > Careers

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>> Explore all the jobs <<
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BBC Spotlight's Johnny Rutherford has followed new recruits for nine weeks in a series about HMS Raleigh at Torpoint.

The series may be over but you can still watch all the films. Click on the Links Below to view Online.

New Recruits - Part 1

Sink or Swim - Part 2

Climb to the top - Part 3

Aiming High - Part 4

Ship Shape - Part 5

Core Values - Part 6

The Final Push - Part 7

Land Ahoy! - Part 8

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Other Royal Navy training Establishments

HMS COLLINGWOOD (FAREHAM)

HMS Collingwood is the lead establishment of the Maritime Warfare School (MWS) and the largest naval training centre in Western Europe . The MWS is a federated training establishment incorporating HMS Excellent, the Defence Diving School, the RN Physical Training School, the School of Hydrography and Meteorology in Plymouth and the Royal Marines School of Music in Portsmouth Naval Base. At any one time the MWS is training about 10 per cent of the Royal Navy and has an annual throughput of over 3,000 Officers and Ratings, both regular and reserve.

HMS Sultan (Gosport)

HMS Sultan is the school of Marine and Air Engineering for the Royal Navy. Training of Marine and Air Engineers of Foreign and Commonwealth Navies is also undertaken. Large numbers of officer and rating students are trained annually e.g. the Ship Systems Group alone has a throughput of some 1,000 students per year. There are five other similar training groups

HMS Sultan is also home to the Admiralty Interview Board, and other lodger units including the Central Air and Admiralty Medical Board.

HMS Temeraire (Portsmouth)

HMS Temeraire houses the staff of the Directorate of Naval Physical Training and Sport (DNPTS), the Royal Navy School of Physical Training and the Fleet Recreation Centre. It is based in Portsmouth and follows a long and distinguished line of ships and establishments to bear the name Temeraire.

BRNC DARTMOUTH

The principal function of the College is the training of young officers for service in the Royal Navy. A large number of students from friendly Navies are also trained here.

A variety of other course are undertaken including leadership and teambuilding Programmes, seamanship, navigation and other naval subjects.

RN Ships and Subs

Assault Ships

HMS Ocean  

HMS Bulwark

Carrier

HMS Illustrious

In Build

HMS Queen Elizabeth
HMS Prince of Wales

Type 45 Destroyers

HMS Daring

HMS Dauntless

HMS Diamond 
HMS Dragon
HMS Defender 
HMS Duncan 

Type 42 Destroyers

HMS Edinburgh

HMS York

 Type 23 Frigates

HMS Kent
HMS St Albans
HMS Lancaster
HMS Iron Duke
HMS Westminster
HMS Richmond

HMS Argyll

HMS Monmouth

HMS Montrose

HMS Northumberland

HMS Portland

HMS Somerset

HMS Sutherland

Submarines

HMS Tireless

HMS Torbay

HMS Trenchant

HMS Talent

HMS Triumph

HMS Vanguard

HMS Victorious

HMS Vigilant

HMS Vengeance

HMS Astute
HMS Ambush 
In Build/Order

HMS Artful
HMS Audacious
HMS Agamemnon
HMS Anson
HMS Ajax

Surveying squadron

HMS Echo

HMS Enterprise

HMS Gleaner

HMS Scott

Hunt class mine sweepers

HMS Ledbury

HMS Cattistock

HMS Brocklesby

HMS Middleton

HMS Chiddingfold

HMS Atherstone

HMS Hurworth

HMS Quorn

River class patrol vessels

HMS Clyde

HMS Tyne

HMS Severn

HMS Mersey

HMS Raider

Antarctic Patrol Ship

HMS Endurance (Damaged)


Replaced by HMS Protector

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Current Royal Navy shore establishments
Naval bases

 HMS Drake (HMNB Devonport, Devonport, Devon)
 HMS Nelson (HMNB Portsmouth, Portsmouth)
 HMS Neptune (HMNB Clyde, Faslane, Dumbartonshire)

 Air stations

 RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) (Cornwall)
 RNAS Prestwick (HMS Gannet) (South Ayrshire)
 RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron) (Somerset)

Training establishments
 HMS Collingwood (Fareham, Hampshire)
 HMS Dartmouth (Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth.
 HMS Excellent (Whale Island, Portsmouth)
 HMS Raleigh (Torpoint, Cornwall)
 HMS Sultan (Gosport, Hampshire)
 HMS Temeraire (Portsmouth)

Other

 HMS Caledonia, Rosyth, Fife, Scotland
 HMS Saker  United States
 HMS Agrippa NATO headquarters Allied Forces Southern Europe, Naples
 JSU Northwood (Northwood, Middlesex, England), formerly HMS Warrior. Operational HQ for Commander in Chief Fleet

 Defence Munitions Centres

Formerly Royal Naval Armaments Depot and formally elements of Defence Equipment & Support.
 DM Beith
 RNAD Coulport

Testing establishments

 Vulcan NRTE (Naval Reactor Test Establishment) (HMS Vulcan) Dounreay, Thurso, Caithness, Scotland

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Nuc Subs Disposal

Submarine Dismantling Project: MoD releases SEA scoping report and site screening criteria

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At the beginning of December 2010 the Ministry of Defence (MoD) released >> new information relating to its Submarine Dismantling Project << (SDP). The Project has the long term aim of dismantling 27 of the Royal Navy's nuclear powered submarines – from Dreadnought to Vengeance – and is currently considering how and where to do this. The latest releases from the MoD for the project include an update of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Scoping Report and a Site Criteria and Screening Paper 
The latest documentation sheds further light on where the MoD hopes the dismantling process will take place; where the intermediate level radioactive waste (ILW) generated by the process might be stored; and the methods which could be used to dismantle the submarines.

Where

MoD states that three high level options are available when deciding where submarine dismantling should take place. The vessels could be dismantled at a new facility built on a greenfield site, or at a facility on a previously developed brownfield site, or at an existing nuclear site. According to the MoD these sites must be in the UK for defence and security reasons.

By screening against various criteria, MoD has concluded that there are significant cost, schedule and risk implications in choosing a greenfield or brownfield site as the location for dismantling. Although these options will not be discounted from further consideration and will be included in the SEA as generic options, the screening report comes to the conclusion that:

“use of an existing nuclear licensed or authorised site has significant cost and performance advantages over the development of new facilities, be they on greenfield or brownfield sites.” 

The screening report goes on to assess 25 named sites against a set of specific criteria. All but four of these sites fail to meet primary screening criteria (the need to be located on the coast and have sufficient physical capacity to undertake dismantling work) and are thus not considered suitable for undertaking SDP activities.

Two sites are assessed as failing to meet secondary criteria: HMNB (Clyde) at Faslane (where submarine dismantling would be incompatible with site operations and operational safety) and Barrow-in-Furness (where there is considered to be inadequate port access and incompatibility with site operations).

This leaves two sites that meet all of the initial screening criteria: Devonport Royal Dockyard, Plymouth, and Rosyth Royal Dockyard, Fife.  These two sites have been proposed as potential locations for submarine dismantling.

Storage 

MoD has yet to identify a disposal route on the UK for the ILW which will be produced by the dismantling process. The two MoD indicate that the volumes of waste that the project will produce are unlikely to justify the building of a new storage facility on value for money grounds.  A better option would be to share an existing store - most likely owned by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA)

The NDA has challenged the well established practice within the civil sector of storing ILW where it is produced, and MoD seems keen to take a similar approach to waste storage. This raises the possibility that the interim storage site for waste from the SDP could be located away from the dismantling site, requiring the transportation of ILW by rail or road.

The waste produced by the dismantling is eventually intended to be stored at the planned national Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) for radioactive waste, which is not expected to be available until 2040 at the earliest. Storage facilities for the SDP waste are seen as providing a interim solution to the problem of what to do with the waste until the GDF comes into operation.

Method

Three technical options for the submarine dismantling process are considered in the SEA scoping report. These are cutting out and storing the reactor compartment intact; cutting out the reactor compartment and removing the reactor pressure vessel, and then dismantling the remaining reactor compartment components; or fully dismantling the reactor compartment.

The method chosen to dismantle the submarine has implications for the design of the storage facility which will be needed to keep the waste secure. The first two options would mean that full and complete dismantling of submarines would be delayed until the GDF eventually becomes operational. The MoD state that the technical options for the dismantling process are currently under review.  

At this stage in the project government agencies are being invited to give their views on MoD's proposals and their potential environmental impacts.  The general public will be consulted on the proposals later this summer.  NIS is concerned that, by formulating proposals before the public has been consulted, MoD is running the risk that it will be accused of having made key decisions on how and where redundant submarines will be dismantled regardless of public opinion.

Female Submariners?

These Views and Opinions are my own and not those of the Royal Navy

Female Submariners the Pros and Cons

Concerns have been raised for Years about the impact on morale if men and women were to serve together under the seas for months at a time.Most Forums and Social Networks i visit always talk about Equality for Women and why they should not be Excluded from Serving on Boats but very little input comes from the Spouse of the Submariner How do they Feel ? << That is a question we should all be asking ourselves.

There are currently over 3,000 women in the Royal Navy, they have been allowed to serve on surface ships since 1990.They are very Capable of doing their Job and they should be Proud of what they have achieved in a relatively short time.However when it comes to Submarines its a Totally different story as explained below.

Military experts say the particular nature of being under the sea in incredibly enclosed spaces for long periods poses real problems. Anybody who has been on a submarine will appreciate just how difficult the living arrangements are.

On a Submarine, space is limited,Bunk Spaces are small and crew members must fit all of their personal items in a small locker and a four-inch deep Boot locker under their Bunk.
The submarine has a Limited amount of showers and Toilets (Heads). Water is Limited that's why Crew members take "submariners showers." This consists of quickly turning the water on to get wet, turning the water off and lathering up, and then turning the water back on to rinse off.  Deodorants and other Luxury items are banned (Atmospheric Pollutants).

The United States Submarine Service has just recently allowed Female Trainee Submariners and they are now undergoing their Training.They have Limited this to officer Billets at the moment and will look into the Feasability of increasing this to Ratings Billets in the Future, this lets their Navy sidestep the problem of modifying subs to have separate bunks and bathrooms for Rating men and women. The lone bathroom for officers will bear a reversible sign, letting men know it's in use by women and vice versa.

"The policy on women serving in Subs is still under review Here in The United Kingdom".

Q. Why are women not permitted to serve on our submarines?

Well as explained above there is limited space on our Submarines at the Moment which is not condusive to Privacy, our Submarines would need to be Modified To accomodate Female Submariners, the only class i can see capable of that Conversion is the Vanguard Class at the Moment.This will be Expensive to do and i wonder if the British Public would be happy to put their Hands in ther Pockets to fund it ? Submarines are very Expensive to Build,Refit and Run already.

Future Submarine Builds no doubt will be Designed to accomodate Male and Female Submariners, they will be capable of Living and working together but be prepared for a Media Frenzy when it happens.Our Surface Fleet when Female Sailors joined it has shown the way.

Before any Female considers joining the Submarine Fleet they need to Understand a few things about Submariners and the Submarine Service.

(a) Submariners are Drafted to Submarines its not necessarily true that we were all Volunteers.

(b) Once we are commited to serving on Boats we have to give a return of Service (Golden Hello)

(c)  Submarine Pay is not at this point in time Factored as part of the Final Pension settlement  after  (12 or 22) years Service. 

(d) Training is Continual unlike on Surface Ships we have to requalify everytime we join a new Submarine (same class or new class).Be prepared to have to start all over again if you should become Pregnant and have to take time out from the Service.

Those are some of the Things to consider however here is the really BIG one everyone should consider and it was mentioned at the top of the Article :

How would your Spouse (Both Male and Female) react and deal with a mixed Submarine Crew and the thought of you being in a Confined Environement unable to Surface for Months at a time with no contact outgoing with the Surface world?

**Submarines are Safe**

Recently there have been Articles in the Press regarding Submarine Safety my apologies to fellow Submariners but i need to go back to Basic Submarine Quals (BSQ) levels to try and explain the Basics of Submarine operation.

ALL Submarines of  ALL Nations Employ the same Basic Principles in Order to Operate a Submarine Fleet whether they are Diesel /Electric or are Powered By Nuclear Reactors These Principles are as follows:

PRINCIPLES OF BUOYANCY

Neutral buoyancy is a condition in which a physical body's mass equals the mass it displaces in a surrounding medium. This offsets the force of gravity that would otherwise cause the object to sink. An object that has neutral buoyancy will neither sink nor rise.

Archimedes discovered much of how buoyancy works almost 2000 years ago. In his research, he discovered that an object is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the water displaced by the object. In other words, an inflatable boat that displaces 100 pounds (45 kilograms) of water is buoyed up by that same weight of support. An object that floats in the water is known as being positively buoyant. An object that sinks to the bottom is negatively buoyant, while an object that hovers at the same level in the water is neutrally buoyant. Scientists later discovered ways to manipulate buoyancy and developed equipment such as the life jacket, which is filled with compressed air and helps to lower a person's average density, assisting in floating and swimming, as well as certain diving equipment (including submarines and submersibles) which have air chamber similar to swim bladders in order to regulate depth.

More about >> Buoyancy

PRINCIPLES OF HYDRAULICS

Actually a submarine employs not one, but Four separate hydraulic systems Each one can be Cross connected to power :

1. The steering system, which operates the rudder.

2. The stern plane system, which tilts the stern diving planes to dive or rise.

3. The bow plane tilting system, which tilts the bow diving planes to rise or dive.

4. The main hydraulic system, which operates the following equipment.

a. Flood and vent valves.
b. Main air induction valve.
c. Bow plane rigging.
d. Windlass-and-capstan in bow.
e. Main engine outboard exhaust valves (in some installations hydro-pneumatic).
f. Torpedo tube outer doors.
g. Emergency power for steering system if failure occurs.
h. Emergency power for bow plane tilting system.
i. Emergency power for stern plane tilting system.
j. Periscope hoists.
k. Vertical antenna hoist.

In the case of Complete Hydraulic Failure the Forward and After Planes can be operated by :

PRINCIPLES OF PNEUMATICS

Pneumatic power. Since compressed air must also be used aboard a submarine for certain functions, this system, which consists of the compressors, high and low pressure air bottles and air lines, provides another source of auxiliary power. However, pneumatic or compressed-air power also has definite shortcomings. Pressure drop caused by leakage, and the mere fact that air is a compressible substance, may result in "sponginess" or lag in operation. The high pressure necessary for compressed-air storage increases the hazard from ruptured lines, with consequent danger to personnel and equipment. Another disadvantage of air systems is that the air compressors require greater maintenance and are relatively inefficient.

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Hand power. Some equipment on a submarine is still operated exclusively by hand, but this practice is rapidly disappearing. This is because the power requirements exceed that which manual effort can provide over long periods of time, and because power operation is faster and can be remotely controlled, thus greatly reducing the communication necessary between crew members.

PRINCIPLES OF REACTORS

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 Royal Navy Description of  The Pressurised Water Reactor

Pressurised Water Reactor

In simple terms, this is a collection of fissile uranium fuel elements which provide huge amounts of energy to power the vessel (a ton of fissionable material releases the energy equivalent of 2.5 million tons of coal.

The entire process takes place inside a heavy shielded reactor compartment that completely protects the crew from radiation.

The PWR system is based on primary and secondary circuits. Water coolant travels around the primarily circuit, through the reactor pressure vessel (where it is heated by the nuclear fuel elements) and on through the tubes in a steam generator. A high pressure is maintained in the primary circuit to prevent the coolant from boiling.

More info Available Here >> Nuclear Power

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How a Submarine is Built and its Components explained

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Submarines require highly trained crews.

Submarines are complex Vessels  and require specialized and highly trained crews for their operations. Crew members on duty aboard a submarine are known as being on watch. Under normal conditions, only part of the crew is on watch at one time, with watches divided into three rotating shifts of six hours each.

During these times, each crew member is assigned to a specific duty. Under certain conditions (when leaving and entering port, or when the crew is ordered to Action stations) everyone on board the Submarine will have a watch station regardless of his position within the three-shift rotation.

The highly physically and mentally demanding environment of today's modern  Nuclear Submarine requires a unique individual. Submariners traveling at sea and underwater can be out of port for six months or longer. The mental, physical and emotional demands of this job require a highly specialized and special individual.

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"A submariner is part of the team. He must be able to be relied upon by his teammates, and he must be individually Trustworthy"

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