Ban lifted on women serving in Royal Navy Submarines

Women are to be allowed to serve in submarines for the first time in the Royal Navy’s history the Secretary of State for Defence, Philip Hammond, announced today.

The decision comes following an 18-month review conducted by the Royal Navy looking at the legal, operational, health, social, technical, and financial issues of allowing women to serve on submarines.  

Women had previously been excluded from submariner roles due to concerns about higher levels of carbon dioxide in submarine atmosphere carrying risks to female health. But recent research by the Institute of Naval Medicineshowed that these risks were unfounded and that there were no medical reasons for excluding women from service in submarines.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said:

“I am pleased that women will now have the same opportunity to serve on board our submarines, carrying out vital tasks maintaining Britain’s defences around the clock, across the world.

“The Royal Navy has always been at the forefront of innovation, and this decision represents another step in its distinguished tradition of recognising the contribution of its people and making the very best use of the talent from which it can recruit.”

The first female submariners are expected to take up their posts towards the end of 2013. Initially this will be a small number of female officers -volunteers who will begin training next year for service in the Vanguard-class of Trident submarines. The first female ratings will be recruited and trained from 2014.

Women will also be able to serve in Astute-class submarines from 2016 when the necessary modifications to on-board accommodation have been made.

Second Sea Lord, Vice Admiral Charles Montgomery, said:

“Our primary objective in the Royal Navy is maintaining our operational effectiveness both now and in the future. This carefully considered decision will allow the Submarine Service to draw on the widest range of talent and skills of our people - those in service and those yet to join. It will therefore enable us to further consolidate our operational success. And it will give our women the same opportunities as men to enjoy a fulfilling and rewarding career in the Submarine Service.”

Currently, more than nine percent of Royal Navy personnel are female, approximately 3,420. Women have been serving on board Royal Navy ships since 1990.

Note:

The previous exclusion of women from service on Her Majesty’s Submarines on health and safety grounds was taken on the basis of the legal obligations which the MOD owes to its personnel under both health and safety legislation and the common law duty of care.

• As the MOD is committed to maximising opportunities for females and complies with anti-discrimination legislation, the policy to exclude women from service on submarines has been reviewed periodically since the decision was made in 1993.

• The Royal Navy have undertaken a thorough and comprehensive review of its policy of excluding women from serving on submarines over the last 18 months. Medical evidence now shows that there is no bar to women serving on submarines; but there remains a need to exclude pregnant submariners from serving at sea for health and safety grounds because of the risk to foetal health.
• As the results of the latest medical research mean there is no longer any bar to women serving on submarines, we have taken extensive legal and medical advice to work through all the implications of women going to sea.

For more information, please contact Hannah Fletcher in MOD press office on 0207 218 7924.