Submarine School. Channel 5

[Submarine Jeff]

Submarine School

I agree - if you are interested in Military tactics or want to learn something about how to fire a torpedo then perhaps the TV programme doesn't do the job. I mean I could easily put together a 4x1 hour documentary on how to conduct an attack on a Surface Ship - but believe me I suspect I would bore or go way above the head of many of the general public. For the layman - I think the producers did a reasonable job. Just to set the record straight - there were very few compartments or indeed tactics (if any) that were off limits for the TV cameras!

[airborne_artist]

First, if it's 50% pass; that's not good 'economics' and if you then expell the failures from the submarine service, one is losing that experience undersea, although possibly gaining a great deal if the person becomes a PWO in an anti-sub vessel.

If all who pass perisher are highly likely to get a command and so guaranteed promotion to Commander then 50% seems about right. How many surface fleet Lt Cdrs (X) achieve the same? I reckon the chop rate may be worse, but there's no visible chop process for skimmers.

[Red Line Entry]

I think the programme makers did a good job in highlighting the challenge and excitement of being a submarine captain. But to me, the upsides of having such a fantastic job could never balance the downsides of living for months away from family, sunlight, fresh air etc.

Banter aside, I have a huge amount of respect for submariners, it's truely a job I could never do.

[FODPlod]

I think the programme makers did a good job in highlighting the challenge and excitement of being a submarine captain. But to me, the upsides of having such a fantastic job could never balance the downsides of living for months away from family, sunlight, fresh air etc.

Banter aside, I have a huge amount of respect for submariners, it's truely a job I could never do.

Couldn't agree more and I was inured to nine month deployments in surface ships. HMS Tireless has just returned from a ten month deployment east of Suez, not quite all of which was spent at sea submerged (link), and HMS Turbulent is on another (link).

[alfred_the_great]

a_a: the real question to ask is the ratio of Junior Officers to the bottom of the SM Plot to those passing Perisher....

Skimmer life is different, and I would suggest that we have ways and means of getting the people we want. There was a suggestion of introducing a "Perisher" on CODC, but then the man who was talking about this had an interesting time in GRANBY ("Whose birds? Your birds Sir".....) and had a minor credibility problem!

[Mal Drop]

anyone who wet shaves and then washes his arm pits with the same water is welcome to be on that boat by himself!

Hell! A REAL submariner would clean their teeth in it as well.

A Herc mate would make a nice cuppa out of it and offer it to the senior passenger as a refreshing brew made to an old family recipe.

[airborne_artist]

a_a: the real question to ask is the ratio of Junior Officers to the bottom of the SM Plot to those passing Perisher....

Skimmer life is different, and I would suggest that we have ways and means of getting the people we want. There was a suggestion of introducing a "Perisher" on CODC, but then the man who was talking about this had an interesting time in GRANBY ("Whose birds? Your birds Sir".....) and had a minor credibility problem!

Post Corporate there were some significant questions asked about the surface fleet's selection techniques - let's just say that some who were highly articulate and very sociable had been favoured, but didn't have what it took when the range became two-way.

[alfred_the_great]

a_a: the CQ process now is a joke, but it's weeded out the more social officer....

[Rallysailor]

As someone with both 'Fins' and 'Wings' (abeit civvy wings) I thought the programme was quite interesting and may improve recruiting figures alittle. I know they improved greatly after the HMS Brilliant programme.