Can women in the U.S. navy serve on submarines?

Well, not yet exactly, but SOON. The Navy announced women WILL be allowed to serve in submarines. It was a couple of weeks ago. I saw it on 20/20 or Dateline or one of the other news shows. I spent 21 years in the Navy, MOST in submarines, fast attacks, NOT missile submarines. I can see it in a missile sub where the crew all sleep in staterooms with 2 to 4 per stateroom which WOULD allow segregated bunking, but in a fast attack, NOT. In a fast attack, except for officers, everyone else sleeps in open bay bunking and the bathroom facilities are set up for everyone to use more or less in the "open". Only the showers have a door on a fast attack. I do not see the logistics in a fast attack, but I CAN see the logistics in a missile sub. I was in engineering, one of the Machinist Mate's running the power plant. On the subs I was on, there are several huge steam valves which are manually operated that I would challenge a woman of average height and weight to even reach, let alone operate. However, those COULD be modified to use a hydraulic operator like most of the other valves and machinery already IS. It really does not take a great deal of strength to operate MOST of the equipment in an engineroom at sea! Any 98 pound weakling can operate a hydraulic actuator! No, the only problem I see is simple logistics of privacy and modesty. AND, with the next generation of submarines already in the works, it would be almost trivial to modify things to accommodate women on an equal footing with men and taking into account privacy and modesty in the larger missile platforms, but the fast attack is very size conscious and accommodations for women would be much more difficult. I suppose they COULD be modified to suit women. With proper separation as it was on tenders where I served, men and women working together in the Navy is quite doable. So far, the only thing stopping women has been the law against females acting in a combat role. This applies to female fighter pilots as well. Women in actual fire fights in combat is still a problem. Mainly because of the macho male ego which most western world countries seem to embrace. Personally, I prefer to sail with an all-male crew in the submarines I was in. I had NO problem in the bigger living facilities on board a tender where women's quarters and men's quarters were completely equal and separate. Only working and other community spaces were shared. Still, there WERE problems on the tender from time to time, which stemmed from interpersonal relationships found everywhere, NOT from the unique environment of being at sea. All it takes is the room to provide the facilities and it works reasonable well.

Currently, no. However, the decision has been made that by the end of the year, a few female officers will begin serving on missile submarines. It's easier to implement something like this with officers rather than enlisted sailors because of the living quarters. Junior officers in the Navy typically share a stateroom having anywhere from 2-4 people. Enlisted berthing areas are usually much larger.

Today? No.

However eleven women who just graduated from Annapolis this year have been selected for the Navy nuclear sub program. Once they complete the program, they will be assigned to nuclear subs. Of course they are all officers. I do not know if the field will open up for enlisted women. I am betting not. Enlisted on subs do not have private bunk rooms.

4 female ensigns were assigned to 2 different submarines, to see how it would go. It was all in the news when they got assigned and first reported from duty. I haven't seen anything about it since though, so I don't know how it went.

yes. as of this week in fact.. this years USNA graduating class has 13 females who have been selected to pave the way. in about 2 years they will hit the fleet as the very first Female Submarine Officers. figure a few years of test runs before they open ity up to enlisted personnel.

Rather them Lady's then gays,At least the enlisted men wont have to feel uncomfortable because the females get separate quarters.