# Question for Navy Nukes **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 13, 2015, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-navy-nukes/725003 "2015-07-13T02:38:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Potestas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/50afbb/32.png) [@Potestas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Potestas)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-navy-nukes/725003/1 "2015-07-13T02:38:56Z")
Question for all you navy nukes out there… What is the process for starting up an SSBN after docking for maintenance and repair? Like if I wanted to start up an Ohio class sub, what would I have to do? What is the process for getting a reactor up and running at the level needed for acceleration, etc? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-navy-nukes/725003/2 "2015-07-13T07:01:37Z")
That’s classified. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-navy-nukes/725003/3 "2015-07-13T07:32:33Z")
You’d need a team to accomplish it, though. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-navy-nukes/725003/4 "2015-07-13T15:53:56Z")
Need answer fast? ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-navy-nukes/725003/5 "2015-07-13T16:16:22Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > You’d need a team to accomplish it, though. How many team members? One to turn the key, one to tap on the gas, who else am I missing? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-navy-nukes/725003/6 "2015-07-13T16:18:49Z")
I served on an SSN, not an SSBN, but after a normal instance of in-port maintenance, the crew just starts up the reactor using the normal start-up procedure. Details are indeed classified. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-navy-nukes/725003/7 "2015-07-13T16:33:35Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I served on an SSN, not an SSBN, but after a normal instance of in-port maintenance, the crew just starts up the reactor using the normal start-up procedure. Details are indeed classified. Oh come on, it can’t be all that different from starting up an ordinary run of the mill household reactor. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-navy-nukes/725003/8 "2015-07-13T16:43:36Z")
So do you flip a coin to see who uses the starting crank? ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-navy-nukes/725003/9 "2015-07-13T17:14:53Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > How many team members? One to turn the key, one to tap on the gas, who else am I missing? Well, it’s the military so one more is needed at all times to shout at the others to do the things they’re already doing. Actually, I take that back - that position also exists in the civilian world :). ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-navy-nukes/725003/10 "2015-07-13T17:20:53Z")
Complete instructions for starting up a submarine were given in the book version of _Yellow Submarine_. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-navy-nukes/725003/11 "2015-07-13T19:48:41Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > How many team members? One to turn the key, one to tap on the gas, who else am I missing? The three swimmers at the rear pushing the sub up to starting speed. ---
**Author:** ![Strassia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@Strassia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strassia)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-navy-nukes/725003/12 "2015-07-13T19:59:30Z")
All procedures are confidential of course, but I think you are vastly underestimating the complexity of a vehicle such as a submarine. It’s not a car. You don’t just “start the reactor” and put in gear. There are a ton of systems, electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and electronic that are needed to successfully make it go. If you are just trying to move it away from the dock, an ax and tug boat would be the easiest way. But tug boats probably aren’t as simple as you think either. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-navy-nukes/725003/13 "2015-07-13T20:26:35Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > The three swimmers at the rear pushing the sub up to starting speed. Three swimmers, huh? Way to go dude, that was the classified part. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-navy-nukes/725003/14 "2015-07-13T20:41:29Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > The three swimmers at the rear pushing the sub up to starting speed. No no. They use dolphins and sea lions to push it. What do you think the [Navy marine mammals](http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/local-news/dolphins-sea-lions-will-protect-bangor-waterfront) are for?! Using them for security is just a distraction from their real job. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-navy-nukes/725003/15 "2015-07-13T20:54:30Z")
Just prime it three times and give a good pull on the string. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-navy-nukes/725003/16 "2015-07-13T20:57:32Z")
> [@Strassia](#): > > I think you are vastly underestimating the complexity of a vehicle such as a submarine. It’s not a car. You don’t just “start the reactor” and put in gear. There are a ton of systems, electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and electronic that are needed to successfully make it go. This. Even starting something simple like a piston engine airplane is a bunch of steps… no way would a random person off the street be able to do it. Starting a nuclear submarine is going to be vastly more complex. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-navy-nukes/725003/17 "2015-07-13T21:04:46Z")
Step 1. Push the Big Red Button that says “Main Reactor Start”. Step 2. Be sure to disengage the “Automatically Launch All the Nuclear Missiles At Russia When Main Reactor is Started” System first. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-navy-nukes/725003/18 "2015-07-13T21:22:40Z")
> [@Desert\_Nomad](#): > > This. > > Even starting something simple like a piston engine airplane is a bunch of steps… no way would a random person off the street be able to do it. Starting a nuclear submarine is going to be vastly more complex. Plus, starting up or failing to start up even one of the subsystems in the incorrect order could make it glow red hot and possibly go boom. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-navy-nukes/725003/19 "2015-07-13T22:07:41Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > Step 1. Push the Big Red Button that says “Main Reactor Start”. > Step 2. Be sure to disengage the “Automatically Launch All the Nuclear Missiles At Russia When Main Reactor is Started” System first. No, Step 1 is to make sure the “Automatically Launch All the Nuclear Missiles At Russia When Main Reactor is Started” Cancellation button is not out of order. ---
**Author:** ![Habeed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-navy-nukes/725003/20 "2015-07-13T22:37:49Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > Plus, starting up or failing to start up even one of the subsystems in the incorrect order could make it glow red hot and possibly go boom. You’d hope not. You’d hope that each subsystem has internal safety cutouts, alarms, etc, so that you can’t simply flip the wrong switch and it goes kaboom. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-navy-nukes/725003.md?page=2)