US Navy builds submarines specifically for female sailors

For the first time in history, the US Navy will design and build a submarine specifically for female sailors serving in the “Silent Service.”

According to Sputnik Radio, in 2010, the US Navy lifted the ban on women operating in submarines. Since then, 130 female soldiers and volunteers have signed up to serve under the ocean. However, according to complaints from one of the few female soldiers currently serving - Lieutenant Marquette Leveque, there are many difficulties that arise when a woman lives in a submarine.

“Privacy is important wherever you go. We live on this boat and work here,” Leveque told Stripes.

Specifically, most submarines have only one toilet shared by both sexes. For female sailors with small stature, it is difficult for them to reach the water valve or see the screens placed at the same height as a man.

Back in the early days of shipbuilding, the Turtle was the first submarine to be used in combat. It was made of wood and, according to its designers, was intended to be crewed exclusively by men.

Now, in response to the need to create a separate space for female sailors on submarines, the US Navy’s main shipbuilder Electric Boat has been tasked with modifying the design of Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines and Virginia-class attack submarines to accommodate female sailors. They will install separate sleeping quarters and bathrooms, and change some of the design of equipment such as lowering the faucet or adding steps at high points.

Brian Wilson, the director of Electric Boat, which came up with the idea, said he did not yet have a cost estimate for the entire redesign. The first submarine to be built with the changes, the USS New Jersey, is due to be completed in 2021.

Admiral Lily Hinz, communications officer for Submarine Squadron 10 based in Florida, said the Navy's ultimate goal is to have a 1:4 ratio of women to men serving on each submarine.

In 1985, Norway became the first country to allow women to serve on submarines. Countries such as Sweden, Australia, Canada and the UK have since followed suit. In 2015, Russia announced that it would allow women to serve on submarines from 2018.

According to Baotintuc.vn