A Submarine procedure question.

[ShotgunFeline]

Hello!


I thought I would ask here for some pointers after a disaster on Quora...Apologies if this is a bit of a block of text!



I write short stories in my free time, and after playing Cold Waters and immersing myself in movies I had the itch to write a Sub short. My main question however remains unanswered and my Google searches are in vain.


My question is, and this may diverge a bit...how realistic is the missile launch process from Crimson tide? I know the movie is pretty much loathed by people who have served on Subs for multiple reasons, but between that and K-19 I've not seen/read about subs launching missiles elsewhere. I would like to make it clear I'm not looking for knowledge on classified material, just a rough idea I can build on myself.


For anyone interested...My plan is to set this story betweem 1984-1989 on a Russian sub test firing a new missile (Nuclear weapons do not exist in this alt Earth). I've found quite a bit of material for Russian test sites, which is great! Just hoping to get some procedure guidance to help show the connectivity & professionalism between the crew as they are drilled.


Thanks in advance to anyone who reads this

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by ShotgunFeline

I write short stories in my freetime...

ShotgunFeline! I'd say just write your short story while the itch is hot and don't "sweat the details"-that's called 'poetic license' and occurs in just about everything moviewise; even Tom Clancy's stuff. Then post your short story here as some writer-members have done previously and await useful critiques from any members who've served on missile submarines...and re-edit!

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by ShotgunFeline

My question is, ...how realistic is the missile launch process from Crimson tide?

from a procedural POV, crimson tide is pretty close. orders from HQ come first, and that is a classified process. suffice it to say that no sub commander would launch without orders to do so. after receipt and confirmation of orders, which takes time, there is a prep sequence that takes time, and this includes the target package. then there is the firing sequence, which includes a list of actions including coming to the proper depth to fire the weapons. then the final stages of the firing sequence which would take a minimum of two command-level officers performing simultaneous actions. on a western boat, those would be the CO and the XO. on a Soviet boat that would probably be three, CO, XO, the Political Officer.

does this help?

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by KaleunMarco

on a Soviet boat that would probably be three, CO, XO, the Political Officer.

does this help?

JEEZE! An immediate response from a US Naval Academy grad! Now if we can just get ET2SN(served aboard USS Bremerton) to chip in, my plan will have matriculated! @ KaleunMarco: I thought the politcal officer always got killed in the officers mess first(as in Tom Clancy's Hunt for Red October which had 'poetic license' up the yinyang?!! ie: Alec Baldwin's shootout in the missile silo with the cook-fared better than the firearm accident on his own cowboy-movie set! )

[mapuc]

Haven't been on a military sub I can only presume that every person from highest rank down to the ordinary sailor know what to do and where their station is, when a firing order comes.

Markus

[ShotgunFeline]

Originally Posted by KaleunMarco

from a procedural POV, crimson tide is pretty close. orders from HQ come first, and that is a classified process. suffice it to say that no sub commander would launch without orders to do so. after receipt and confirmation of orders, which takes time, there is a prep sequence that takes time, and this includes the target package. then there is the firing sequence, which includes a list of actions including coming to the proper depth to fire the weapons. then the final stages of the firing sequence which would take a minimum of two command-level officers performing simultaneous actions. on a western boat, those would be the CO and the XO. on a Soviet boat that would probably be three, CO, XO, the Political Officer.

does this help?

Yes it does, it helps a lot! My plan is to start drafting something this evening, whether I post it here as suggested previously depends on how my confidence fares! Really appreciate the input, thank you

[ShotgunFeline]

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

I thought the politcal officer always got killed in the officers mess first(as in Tom Clancy's Hunt for Red October which had 'poetic license' up the yinyang?!! ie: Alec Baldwin's shootout in the missile silo with the cook-fared better than the firearm accident on his own cowboy-movie set! )

Took me a moment after the first bit! Appreciate your feedback and response

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

JEEZE! An immediate response from a US Naval Academy grad! Now if we can just get ET2SN(served aboard USS Bremerton) to chip in, my plan will have matriculated! @ KaleunMarco: I thought the politcal officer always got killed in the officers mess first(as in Tom Clancy's Hunt for Red October which had 'poetic license' up the yinyang?!! ie: Alec Baldwin's shootout in the missile silo with the cook-fared better than the firearm accident on his own cowboy-movie set! )

you need to read Red Star Rogue.
scares the bejeesus out of me every time i read it.
probably about as scary as Enemy of the State except it is real life and not hollywood.

[ShotgunFeline]

It's not showing my replies, but I'm positive I did.


Just wanted to say thank-you to all who replied, it's helped me a lot!

[1Patriotofmany]

Originally Posted by KaleunMarco

you need to read Red Star Rogue.
scares the bejeesus out of me every time i read it.
probably about as scary as Enemy of the State except it is real life and not hollywood.

That's the boat the CIA retrieved a little part of unfortunately, with the glomar explorer. I have an excellent book on the whole thing from building the ship to the details of the claws failure and the subterfuge of retrieving nodules from the bottom..... Can't remember the name offhand. But thanks for the book recommend, just ordered it.

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by 1Patriotofmany

That's the boat the CIA retrieved a little part of unfortunately, with the glomar explorer. I have an excellent book on the whole thing from building the ship to the details of the claws failure and the subterfuge of retrieving nodules from the bottom..... Can't remember the name offhand. But thanks for the book recommend, just ordered it.

project azorian is one, however i cannot find the other one in my library.

yes, red star rogue is unnerving. i remember that time period...so much was happening in '68. it is amazing that we made it to 1969.

[Kapitan]

It would depend on the navy your writing about for example the procedure on crimson time is fairly accurate for the USN but its a completely different procedure for the Royal Navy.

The RN doesn't use the PAL codes although some elements of the USN procedures are present such as "set condition 1SQ" (depending on launch type will depend on what comes next).

Theres a set routine including coming to depth and commencing hovering, the call to action stations missile and a procedure to check the letter of last resort ect.

[ShotgunFeline]

Originally Posted by Kapitan

It would depend on the navy your writing about for example the procedure on crimson time is fairly accurate for the USN but its a completely different procedure for the Royal Navy.

The RN doesn't use the PAL codes although some elements of the USN procedures are present such as "set condition 1SQ" (depending on launch type will depend on what comes next).

Theres a set routine including coming to depth and commencing hovering, the call to action stations missile and a procedure to check the letter of last resort ect.

It's taking place on board a Soviet sub (1980's era). I've been doing some reading on what they use as a state of readiness as they don't have DEFCON or the UK's very interestingly named BIKINI - "British Imperial Kinetic Integrated Networked Information," (Someone must have been having a laugh when they came up with that). The Soviet one from what I have found so far just seems to be a state of readiness from 1-4, with 1 being peacetime and 4 being at war.


Back on the track though, the reason I referenced the procedure from Crimson Tide was that within this short story, during that announcement I wanted to portray some of the control rooms reactions as it is being issued. So that when the crew hear what state they are at, I can drill into their expressions and whatnot.



As it's not easy to find and based on the previous posts, I'm thinking of tweaking the announcement so the Captain would be saying something along the lines of (Very roughly so far) "Set condition 4 and prepare for missile launch". With a bit more detail and a scripted approach to it

[Kapitan]

Originally Posted by ShotgunFeline

It's taking place on board a Soviet sub (1980's era). I've been doing some reading on what they use as a state of readiness as they don't have DEFCON or the UK's very interestingly named BIKINI - "British Imperial Kinetic Integrated Networked Information," (Someone must have been having a laugh when they came up with that). The Soviet one from what I have found so far just seems to be a state of readiness from 1-4, with 1 being peacetime and 4 being at war.


Back on the track though, the reason I referenced the procedure from Crimson Tide was that within this short story, during that announcement I wanted to portray some of the control rooms reactions as it is being issued. So that when the crew hear what state they are at, I can drill into their expressions and whatnot.



As it's not easy to find and based on the previous posts, I'm thinking of tweaking the announcement so the Captain would be saying something along the lines of (Very roughly so far) "Set condition 4 and prepare for missile launch". With a bit more detail and a scripted approach to it

There is documentary done on youtube called mission invisible from 2004 its based onboard the typhoon TK20 and you can see some of the procedure of missile launch there.

There is also one on combat approved that shows the launch procure on a delta III