Taking the plunge
It’s not every day that etc. gets invited aboard a top-secret Royal Naval submarine…
‘I did an internship in an office and it just wasn’t for me,’ says Lieutenant Ben Haskins of his decision to become a Submariner after uni. ‘I wanted something a bit more challenging, a bit different,’ he adds, hiding a smile as etc. clings to a ladder that disappears down a narrow hole. We have to agree with him about the ‘different’ part – before we stepped foot on HMS Torbay, we put submarines in the same category as flying carpets, winged unicorns and other magical forms of transport. Because honestly, how else does one survive underwater for up to three months? The answer: a load of cutting edge technology and a crew of highly trained men who really, really know their stuff. And a bit of magic in the way it all works together.
Below the surface
When HMS Torbay isn’t travelling undetected at the bottom of the ocean, it lives on one of the country’s most secure Royal Naval Bases in Plymouth, Devon. From the outside, the submarine doesn’t give much away – it’s painted black, so you can’t see it in the water, and there aren’t any windows, so you can forget about seeing giant octopus tentacles and passing mermaids. Nothing hints at the exciting stuff that goes on inside, and that’s because submarines are a pretty secretive business.
Lieutenant Haskins asks us what we’d like to see first, and we shout ‘the torpedoes!’ Another trip down a few holes and steep ladders (we’re getting the hang of it now), and we’re in the area commonly referred to as ‘the bomb shop’, home to rows of torpedoes and Tomahawks, each one the length of a small car.
While etc. struggles with an overwhelming desire to touch, Lieutenant Haskins explains that these are not real weapons, but practice torpedoes used in exercises – the torpedoes are used for sea targets and Tomahawks hit land targets. ‘A submarine hitting something on land?’ asks etc., suitably mind-boggled. Lieutenant Haskins nods, and tells us that Tomahawks can hit targets up to 1,000 miles away. So if they were to launch one from the south coast of England, it could fly over France and hit a target all the way in the Mediterranean. (We’re still trying to get our heads around that one.)
It’s oh so quiet
Up another ladder and now we’re in the control room, where everything happens. We’re happy to report that it’s just as exciting as the ones in the movies, with Officers consulting charts, zillions of buttons and switches, and two giant periscopes. The only true ‘eyes’ of a submarine, periscopes are used when the boat is close to the surface, which happens about 40% of the time. For the remaining 60%, a submarine is deep below the surface where it must rely on its ears to detect the presence of other ships. ‘Navigating a submarine is like a game of Blind Man’s Bluff,’ explains the ship’s Captain, Commander Chris Goodsell. Using sophisticated SONAR, a team of Technicians listen closely to the sounds of the deep sea (they can hear a ship 60 miles away), identify what it is (e.g. a cruise liner or another submarine), and then work out its position with trigonometry. After that, a submarine will either go around the vessel or sneak up closer to investigate.
Making the grade
There’s no room for a passenger on a submarine – it’s a common saying among Submariners, meaning that every single crewmember on a sub plays a vital role in its overall operation. When you’re hundreds of metres below sea level, there’s no room for mistakes, and that’s why every Submariner gets a special qualification, signified by their Dolphin badge. This means that every man on a sub – whether he’s the Steward or the Captain – knows how all the boat’s major valves work, where they’re located, and what to do in the case of an emergency.
There is no equivalent qualification in the surface fleet, which has a more general approach to training. ‘In submarines, we have guys that are specialists in their area, and therefore you become master of your own domain, rather than a jack-of-all-trades,’ explains Lieutenant Commander Brian Hambly, the Weapons Engineer Officer. ‘We play to people’s natural aptitudes, mindsets and skills, which gets a better result.’
In the action
During the day, etc. spends half of the time sucking it in to let important-looking Technicians, Officers and Engineers past. Submarines may weigh 5,000 tons, but they can seem pretty tiny when you’re on the inside along with 120-odd men. On the plus side, we see this makes for a slightly less formal atmosphere (‘There’s a lot of p*ss-taking that goes on,’ grins a passing Submariner) and more professional opportunities.
‘I get a lot more exposure to the war-fighting side of things,’ explains Lieutenant Haskins. ‘On a surface ship, at my level, I’d just be on the bridge as an Officer of the Watch. But here, we navigate the sub from the control room, which is right next to the war-fighting bits, so you’ve got an input into that as well. You’re also plotting all the intelligence that comes from outside the submarine and you’re feeding that in as well, so you’re much more integrated into the whole operation.’
‘Everything you do on a submarine is for real,’ adds Commander Goodsell. ‘Submarines are the attacking arm of the Royal Navy – we take the offensive to the enemy.’ From his expression, etc. can tell he’s seen some pretty exciting action during his career. But when we ask for his best story of all time, Commander Goodsell smiles and says that it’s classified. Which says it all, really.
Bonus material
Now’s the perfect time to get involved with submarines, because the Royal Navy is offering a £5,000 bonus to those who get their Submariner qualification. Ready to take the plunge? Then head to royalnavy.mod.uk/careers or call 08456 07 55 55.
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