We All Live On Nuclear Submarine

May 4 2008 By Graeme Lennox

Our Boys Spend 4 Months At Sea So You Want To Work On A Nuclear Sub

SOMEWHERE in the world a silent killer lurks deep beneath the ocean waves ready to deliver its devastating payload if the command comes.

HMS Vigilant, one of Britain's four Vanguard class submarines, is one of the deadliest military forces on the planet and the cornerstone of Britain's nuclear deterrent.

It has 16 missile tubes capable of firing Trident missiles each with up to 12 warheads. Each has five times the destructive power of the Hiroshima bomb.

I joined the ship at Faslane before it sailed on its latest mission - which could last four months - under Commander Paul Dunn.

Aged 37, he is he is one of the youngest men to command a nuclear sub. His role in national security is so vital, the first thing Gordon Brown did as Prime Minister was write him a top-secret letter telling him what to do in the event of a nuclear holocaust.

Cdr Dunn says if the order to press the button came there would be no hesitation. He said: "Everything I do is down to me and my ship's company."

The £4billion Vanguard class subs were designed to protect us against nuclear states but with George Bush saying the biggest threat comes from al-Qaeda, are they still relevant?

Cdr Dunn said: "There are countries that could be possible aggressors and we must be prepared."

Nicknamed "sun-dodgers" by colleagues, submariners spend up to 120 days undersea, often unaware of which part of the world they are in.

Life on board is cramped. Cdr Dunn is the only one on board with his own cabin. Ratings squeeze into cramped bunk rooms nine at a time.

The subs need refuelling only once every seven years and produce their own oxygen and fresh water.

Messes double as games rooms, dining areas and makeshift churches.

The crew is all-male because going to sea with a pregnant woman could jeopardise a mission. One of the crews' highlights is receiving a 60- word "familygram" from loved ones. Nicknamed "grumblies" because they usually contain lists of domestic grievances, they are the only means of staying in touch with home.

Replies are not permitted because they give away the sub's position.

Cdr Dunn said: "It is hard work on board but the rewards are there."

Submariners are considered an elite branch of the Royal Navy. Qualified ratings start on £16,227 and can earn up to £45,000 as they rise through the ranks. Officers start on £23,500 and can make up to £77,000.

For the father-of-two from Dorset, captaining a nuclear submarine is the culmination of a distinguished 19-year career with the Royal Navy.

But postings are limited to two years and Cdr Dunn admits he is dreading giving up his later this year.

He said: "When I walk off that bow for the last time, I will be the saddest man on the planet."

The Royal Navy wants submariners. Visit www.royalnavy.mod.uk/submariner or call 08456 030386.