DEFENCE chiefs are likely to announce plans to allow women to serve on Plymouth-based submarines within weeks.

A Ministry of Defence (MoD) review has now been completed, and the final decision rests with Government ministers and Chiefs of Staff.

A national newspaper yesterday (Tuesday) claimed women could be given the 'all-clear' to serve on board nuclear submarines, but no details were given by the MoD.

However in an interview with The Herald a senior Ministry of Defence source has given the clearest indication yet that the ban will be lifted.

"We are moving that way [towards allowing women to serve on submarines]," the source said. "The United States has already gone that way. The scientific reason why women should not go to sea on submarines is about to change.

"The submarine atmosphere is not deemed to be as dangerous as thought to women carrying an unborn child.

"From a Royal Navy point of view we have women serving at sea and it has become part of the culture.

"We expect to do the same sort of thing with submarines. We will just have to manage any problems.

"We have been having women at sea for 20 years and it works very well. Mixed crews work well."

A review into the health implications of women serving on board nuclear submarines is likely to support the move.

Dropping manning figures for the service, known as the 'silent service', could also point to the historic decision.

Women have never served on submarines, except for trials.

If women are allowed to serve on submarines, they would be likely to serve on all or some of Plymouth's seven Trafalgar class boats.

The MoD source said welcoming women into the submarine service would help manning figures.

Women have been banned from serving in submarines because of the potential risk to an unborn foetus from contaminants in the submarine's atmosphere.

The MoD has always said the restriction has been purely medical, and does not relate to combat effectiveness.

If backed, the proposals would mean men and women living and working side-by-side on board the vessels which go for months without surfacing.

In November 2008 the MoD admitted there was a shortage of submariners and recruiting female crew members was a possible solution.

The current figure, recorded last month, is 4,310 submariners serving as part of the Royal Navy.

"It is the most difficult area of manning we have," the source said of the submarine fleet.

According to official MoD figures (up to December 31, 2009) women make up 9.5 per cent of the entire 'Naval Service'.

This is compared to 17.4 per cent in the RAF and 6.8 per cent in the Army.

Since January 1, 2009, the proportion of females in the UK Regular Forces has risen from 12.0 per cent to 12.2 per cent for officers and from 8.9 per cent to 9.0 per cent for other ranks.