Monday, January 6, 2020

What Submarine Movies Get Wrong

Most movies about submarines will have a scene or two in which they attack a target. The crew will achieve a firing solution, and then the captain will shout "FIRE !!!"

This would never have happened on any sub I served on. The correct order is "SHOOT !!!"

Why? Because shouting "fire" means "there's a fire" (i.e., combustion), one of a submariner's worst enemies. I've experienced a few of them while submerged, and they can be downright scary ... and even lethal.

Another thing the movies get wrong is always showing subs on the surface when they're on patrol. Subs rely on stealth to accomplish their missions, so they only surface when absolutely necessary. The days of firing their deck guns at freighters are long gone.

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