U.S.A. Navy to launch first submarine built for mixed-gender crew

The U.S.A. Navy’s first gender-integrated submarine is set to enter service on September 14, as announced by Naval Sea Systems Command.

After eight years of construction, the Virginia-class submarine USS New Jersey represents a significant change for the Navy, which prohibited women from serving on submarines until 2010.

By 2023, there were 609 female sailors assigned to operational submarines, primarily on Ohio-class submarines. These larger submarines had been modified to accommodate both genders.

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In the future, all nuclear-powered attack submarines, along with new Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines, will be designed to be gender-neutral from the keel up, according to ‘Yahoo! News’.

Admitting women to submarines was challenging for the Navy, as it needed to reorganise and retrofit the vessels, where space is already limited.

The USS New Jersey has been modified to accommodate both male and female service members, including adjustments to the height of overhead valves, added steps for high bunks and stacked laundry machines, and increased privacy for washrooms and berths.

The Navy had previously stated its intention to increase the number of submarines with co-ed crews from 30 to 40. Originally designed for all-male crews, existing submarines have not easily accommodated the integration of women.

For instance, berths typically configured for three or six people may not easily adjust if the number of women on board doesn’t match. Washrooms also face similar challenges, which crews have addressed by dividing space or using facilities designated as all-male or all-female.

Female submariners also note that cultural adaptation is necessary to accompany the physical changes, as male crew members were not always welcoming, and the initial women on a crew often experienced awkward curiosity.

The USS New Jersey will be the 23rd Virginia-class submarine in the Navy’s fleet, named after the state where the first U.S.A. submarine was constructed in 1900.

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