Women will be allowed to serve on Royal Navy submarines for the first time in British history, the defence secretary has announced.
In a speech to the Royal United Service Institute (RUSI) on Thursday, Philip Hammond said the first women are due to join the navy's submarine service in 2013.
"I can announce today that I have accepted the recommendation of the first sea lord that women should be allowed to serve in submarines in the future," he said, adding that the armed forces should not be "slaves to tradition".
"Female officers will serve on the Vanguard submarines from late in 2013, followed by ratings in 2015. Women, officers and ratings, will also be able to serve on the Astute class submarines from about 2016."
The decision comes following an 18-month review conducted by the Royal Navy looking at the legal, operational, health, social, technical, and financial issues of allowing women to serve on submarines
Women had previously been excluded from submarine roles due to concerns about higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere carrying risks to female health.
In a statement issued this morning the MoD admitted that this was "unfounded" and that there were no medical reasons for excluding women from service in submarines.
According to the MoD over than 9% of Royal Navy personnel are female, approximately 3,420. Women have been serving on board Royal Navy ships since 1990.
But those joking about women's driving skills on Twitter this morning should probably think twice, given a series of embarrassing incidents with men at the helm.
In one instance HMS Astute, the Navy's newest and most powerful submarine, ran aground soon after its launch. The rescue tug sent to save the submarine then also crashed into her, tearing off one of her fins.
In 2009 HMS Vanguard and the French submarine Le Triomphant narrowly avoided a disaster after they crashed into each other in the Atlantic.