PARIS – Drinking a bowl of seawater followed by a glass of champagne, fourFrench officers stood out during the traditional “baptism” to mark theirinaugural submarine patrol: the first women to join a crew in the country’snuclear-powered fleet.
“I’m proud to have become part of the submarine family,” said Harmonie, a27-year-old security specialist on Le Vigilant, after returning from herfirst 10-week mission on the sub.
“I’m ready to go out again,” she added.
France has become just the third country to bring women onboard itsnuclear-powered subs, which operate much longer and isolated missions thantraditional vessels, after the US and Britain.
And officials hope the four women will inspire others to join them.
“The navy needs recruits. Today women make up 15 percent of its ranks,they’re an asset for us and we want to keep recruiting them,” said CaptainChristian Houette, commander of the four nuclear-powered, nuclear-armedsubs in France’s dissuasion force, based on the Ile Longue peninsula nearthe western city of Brest.
The nuclear subs were the last element of the French navy to exclude women,reflecting concerns about the sacrifices required for long missions, aswell as difficulties in adapting personnel quarters in such tight spaces.
“Some crew members were a bit reluctant, with questions that were largelypractical, they wanted to know if it would disrupt their routines: sleepingquarters, bathrooms…” said Mathieu, second-in-command on the Vigilant.
Like most crew members, he could give only his first name in line with navyrules.
Officials also had to take into account the concerns of sailors’ wives,Mathieu added, diplomatically.
“In the end, their integration has been extremely smooth. Having provedtheir qualifications, these women have earned their place aboard in thesame way as any other sailor.”
*Exhilarating*
The Vigilant packs in 110 people whose only contact with the outside worldis a 40-word message from family members once a week.
The sub keeps radio transmissions to a strict minimum and only the captainknows the destination and other details of each mission — stealth andsecrecy are the watchwords for France’s underwater nuclear arsenal.
“The thing that’s different, compared to a ship, is the one-way link to theoutside,” Camille, a 29-year-old recruit, said on the deck of the Vigilant.
“Two and a half months underwater is possible, and it’s exhilarating!”
She and the three other women underwent two years of specialised trainingfor their posts.
Pauline, the vessel’s 31-year-old doctor, had to develop her surgery anddentistry skills to avoid any emergency evacuations which would compromisethe mission.
“It definitely makes you a little nervous, because you’re the only doctoronboard and there’s a lot riding on your shoulders,” she said.
Since they were officers, they already had individual cabins, and besidestheir own shower, no special arrangements were needed.
But getting women on France’s other nuclear-powered submarines is not onthe cards, since they are much smaller vessels which would be harder toreconfigure for mixed crews.
The country’s next generation of attack subs, however, are being designedwith both men and women in mind.
“We’re going to progress gradually, taking the time to take the changesinto account and draw conclusions,” Houette said.
And climbing the ranks could prove daunting for female officers hoping toreconcile career and family, since there’s little chance of obtaining anylong-term base posting.
“On submarines, interruptions in the operational command track of more thana year or two are problematic,” said Houette.
The project is nonetheless moving forward, with the next patrol with femalecrew members set for the autumn. APP/AFP