Baptism at sea for first women to join ranks for France’s nuclear submariners

Drinking a bowl of seawater followed by a glass of champagne, four French officers stood out during the traditional “baptism” to mark their inaugural submarine patrol: the first women to join a crew in the country’s nuclear-powered fleet.

“I’m proud to have become part of the submarine family,” said Harmonie, a 27-year-old security specialist on Le Vigilant, after returning from her first 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 sailors aboard its nuclear-powered subs, which operate much longer and isolated missions than traditional 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 per cent of its ranks, they’re an asset for us and we want to keep recruiting them,” said Captain Christian Houette, commander of the four nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed subs in France’s dissuasion force, based on the Ile Longue peninsula near the western city of Brest.