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People's Liberation Navy - Submarine Force Training

At Sea Training

As soon as shore-based training is completed, at-sea training begins and focuses on navigation and mission-based training subjects. Navigation training focuses on:

Day and night surface and subsurface training involves everyone, including the CO, XO, duty watch officers, technical officers, and enlisted sailors. The goal is to accomplish independent control of the submarine and obtain watch officer certification. Mission-based training subjects focus on navigation training and the use of torpedoes, missiles, mines, and other weapons. They follow the same pattern as other training-from theory to practice, from shore to sea, and from a little to substantive. At-sea training includes:

• Anchoring
• Assembled training for the crew while at anchor
• Training in maritime training areas
• Practice navigation
• Transiting sea areas
• Long-range navigation

Long-range navigation training is an important overall type of training for submarines. Going through concealed navigation for long periods of time increases the appropriate capabilities for vessel personnel, and increases combat levels by testing a submarine and its weapons and equipment.

Training for submarine tactical groups and combined-arms training are done only after all of the training subjects in the OMTE are completed. These types of training focus on the following:

• Subsurface movement methods for task forces
• Identifying friendly and hostile submarines while under water
• Communications and fixing vessel positions
• Submarine group communications and liaison with shore-based entities
• Combined-arms tactics with other PLAN branches

COs first study the relevant theories. Next, they become familiar with how to coordinate force with group and combined-arms tactics, and with the characteristics of tactical situations. They also research case studies of battles and create scenarios. During each step along the way, they begin by conducting training for individual parts and then combining the parts. The final step is to conduct comprehensive atsea training to put it all together, to include live-fire exercises.