Commander Liz Walmsley and HMS Daring, on which she is logistics director
Posted on 08/19/2007 9:26:47 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Single cabins and private showers for women on Navy's new warship
By PETER ALMOND Last updated at 15:41pm on 19th August 2007
The Royal Navy has spent £1billion on its first "unisex" warship to cater for the rising number of female sailors.
Until now, women have found it difficult to serve on naval vessels because of communal washrooms and mess decks with 16 bunks or more.
But HMS Daring, one of six new advanced Type 45 stealth destroyers being built, has individual, lockable bathrooms where men or women can shower in private and a greater number of single cabins.
Navy chiefs even predict that over the next ten years, up to half of crew members recruited could be female.
The 7,350-ton Daring, which completed its first month of sea trials off Scotland last week, has 48 single cabins and many two-berth cabins for the 192 crew.
Every cabin has an internet connection and desk space. Each mess has a flat-screen TV with DVD players and worldwide satellite TV. Further comforts include cold drink and ice dispensers, and it is the first British warship with a purpose-built gym.
Only three of the 60 crew recruited so far are women. They include the ship's logistics director, Commander Liz Walmsley.
But Commander Graham Beard, the Royal Navy's equality and diversity policy officer, said: "Daring is giving us real opportunities and flexibility with male and female crewing arrangements.
"There is no logical reason why we couldn't go to a 50-50 male-female crew. Personally and realistically, I don't think we will.
"But I can see, in five to ten years, a 50 per cent female recruitment level if only because of demographic trends, and this type of ship will enable more of them to go to sea.
"Modern ships are increasingly automated and you don't need as much brute strength to run them."
The 492ft Type 45, which can sail 8,000 miles without refuelling, has awesome fire power and is considered the most advanced warship in the world.
Its advanced radar and missile systems will be able to spread a protective umbrella hundreds of miles wide. The ship can track more than 1,000 air targets at once, and destroy a missile the size of a cricket ball flying at three times the speed of sound.
Its principal anti-missile system protects a fleet from every air threat, including swarms of small, supersonic, wave-skimming anti-ship missiles.
HMS Daring, launched by the Countess of Wessex in February last year, was built in sections by main contractor BAE Systems at shipyards in Portsmouth, Barrow-in-Furness and on the River Clyde.
Royal Navy official spokesman Commander Mark Durkin said: "Accommodating female sailors has been a problem. Now, with an increased number of single cabins on the new generation of warships, we will have more flexibility to provide females with better facilities."
Commander Liz Walmsley and HMS Daring, on which she is logistics director
Next thing you know the Royal Navy will be doing away with the Rum, Sodomy and the Lash!
What in the hell is the headgear she is wearing? Is that the official uniform cover for female officers? She looks like Luke Skywalker.
Interesting that even in BAE’s own press this admittedly very impressive ship has gone from “having one of the most advanced air defense systems in the world to” being “the most advanced warship in the world.”
I fully expect that with a little more time it will also demonstrate itself to be, in fact, the largest aircraft carrier on the planet.
...bring up camera two...cue the Monty Python... andddddddd........roll-em...............................
Wow, lucky them. I wonder how the rest of the berthing arrangements are laid out?
"Modern ships are increasingly automated and you don't need as much brute strength to run them."
Until they get hit in battle, but we don't worry about that any more.
Isn’t that a safety helmet???
To a large extent,it is the most advanced warship in the world-in terms of pure technology.Till the US DDX comes into service.
I wonder if their next step is to remove the weapons and ammunition, to make room for additional single showers and sleeping quarters?
Well, the British shouldn’t get cocky. Remember British battleships Prince of Wales and Repulse.
Two words: FAYE TURNEY.
The rest is BS.
Wow, lucky them. I wonder how the rest of the berthing arrangements are laid out?
Never take a MSM hesdline as fact
Even "has 48 single cabins and many two-berth cabins for the 192 crew." is misleading
Actually a total of 48 persons are in 1/2 berth cabins (singles for Officers and Chiefs, doubles for Junior Officers and Senior Ratings)
The rest of the crew is in 6-berth cabins (down from 20 in older ships)
The major SWOD-friendly change is individual instead of common bathrooms
Another misleading headline. bears repeating
Interesting, the Royal navy has added cruise ship amenities to the traditons of “rum, buggery and the lash”.
In today’s Royal Navy, rum buggery and the lash ARE the amenities.
Work hard boys and girls, or you won’t get any.
Until now, women have found it difficult to serve on naval vessels because of communal washrooms and mess decks with 16 bunks or more.
Whoever wrote this thinks the mess deck is where people sleep.
for the bad wirting/editing:
I guess if I am going to bust them, I should at least edit my own typos -- lol.
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