Deployment

Submarine Officers rotate between sea and shore assignments. Typically, a submarine officer can expect to be attached to a submarine for a period of three years, followed by shore duty for a period of two to three years. And don’t expect to be at sea for years straight. Remember – most subs spend a significant amount of time in their homeport preparing to execute National Tasking.

Because of the nature of the work and the limited space for onboard supplies, submarines typically have shorter deployments than surface ships. A typical submarine deployment is:

• 6 month deployment for a fast-attack or guided missile submarine (SSN/SSGN)
• 3 month patrol for a ballistic missile submarine (SSBN)