Exercises

A Glimpse of Torpedo Tube Escape Training Organized by a Base of the Naval Submarine Academy

海军潜艇学院某基地组织鱼雷发射管逃生训练见闻

PLA Daily (解放军报) 28 May 2026

Summary

At a base of the Naval Submarine Academy in early summer, pre-selected non-commissioned officer candidates underwent torpedo tube escape training under Staff Sergeant First Class Xu Jingbo, practicing full-process underwater crawls through live torpedo tubes with injected high-pressure water and simulated emergencies including compartment power failure and sudden flow changes. The base applies a structured methodology it calls 分层施训、精准施教、以考促训 (tiered training, precise instruction, assessment-driven training), maintaining individual 训练档案 (training records) to generate personalized remediation plans. The article documents the institutional baseline for how the PLA Navy trains submarine escape at the NCO candidate level — useful as a record of curriculum design and stress-inoculation methods, but it does not indicate a change in training posture or scale.

Translation

Forging "Muscle Memory" in Confined Spaces — A Glimpse of Torpedo Tube Escape Training Organized by a Base of the Naval Submarine Academy

■ Zhao Tianbai, Ma Sidong

Trainees during the exercise. Photo by Ma Sidong.

"Press against the tube wall, steady your breathing, protect your mask…" In early summer, at a base of the Naval Submarine Academy, pre-selected non-commissioned officer candidates dressed in their gear in orderly fashion as Xu Jingbo — an instructor with extensive training experience and a Staff Sergeant First Class — repeatedly emphasized the key training points. With the issuance of the start command, a torpedo tube escape training exercise got underway.

At the training site, candidates submerged one by one and crawled into the narrow torpedo tubes. As the hatch closed, high-pressure water surged in, and the candidates instinctively gripped the tube walls. Through the observation window, Xu Jingbo closely monitored every candidate's movements, ready at any moment to respond to unexpected situations.

"Torpedo tube escape is a survival skill that every submariner must master, and it is also a universally recognized difficult and critical training subject," the base leadership explained. When escaping through a torpedo tube, neither too slow nor too fast will do — too slow and the optimal moment is missed; too fast and alveolar rupture can easily result. At the same time, facing the impact of high-pressure water flow in a confined space, the slightest carelessness can cause water inhalation, which in turn triggers panic. This training is therefore an extreme test of both the technical proficiency and the psychological resilience of participating candidates.

Candidate Zheng Yanqi was participating in torpedo tube escape training for the first time. The rush of icy water and the sense of confinement brought on by the narrow environment left him somewhat flustered, and his breathing rhythm was instantly disrupted. Outside the observation window, Xu Jingbo saw Zheng Yanqi's body shaking continuously and immediately issued a series of commands through the intercom system to help him calm his emotions and stabilize his condition. Under Xu Jingbo's guidance, Zheng Yanqi held his breath and focused, continuously adjusting his body posture and slowly inching along the launch tube, ultimately completing the training successfully.

According to the introduction, in recent years the base has followed the approach of "tiered training, precise instruction, and using assessments to drive training" (分层施训、精准施教、以考促训) to help candidates strengthen their torpedo tube escape skills. In practice, instructors use methods such as one-on-one instruction to demonstrate and explain the key movements for entering the tube, crawling, and avoiding hazards, and lead candidates in familiarizing themselves with the tube's structure and mastering the operating procedures. After candidates become familiar with the basic movements, they progressively participate in segmented movement drills, full-process simulation training, and underwater practical training in accordance with their training progress. In addition, instructors establish a "training record" (训练档案) for each candidate, documenting in detail the problems exposed during training, and on that basis formulate remedial training plans and intensive training programs to achieve "one plan per person, identifying and filling gaps" (一人一策、查漏补缺).

This reporter observed at the scene that the exercise incorporated multiple simulated emergency situations (特情), including compartment power failure and sudden changes in water flow inside the tube, forcing candidates to temper their psychological resilience and emergency response capabilities under complex conditions.

When candidate Guo Sicheng had crawled to the midpoint of the torpedo tube, a power-failure emergency arrived without warning, and the tube was instantly plunged into darkness. In the sealed, confined space, Guo Sicheng remained calm under pressure: one hand pressed firmly against his breathing mask to prevent water ingress and air leakage, the other braced against the tube wall to steady his body. In the pitch-black, cramped tube, he successfully completed the training through sheer strength of ability.

After the exercise, Xu Jingbo analyzed Zheng Yanqi's shortcomings item by item, carefully explained the key movement points, and personally crawled into the torpedo tube to demonstrate the correct procedure for him. "Small problems not corrected during training can become major risks on the actual battlefield," the base leadership stated. Only through continuous tempering to form the "muscle memory" (肌肉记忆) of precise operation can one successfully pass through the narrow tube to escape in a critical moment. In the next phase, they will lead candidates in a comprehensive after-action review, focusing on resolving common problems in areas such as emergency situation handling, and help candidates consolidate the foundation of their capabilities.

Original Chinese

狭窄空间磨砺“肌肉记忆” ——海军潜艇学院某基地组织鱼雷发射管逃生训练见闻 ■赵天百马思东学员在训练中。马思东摄学员在训练中。马思东摄 “贴紧管壁，稳住呼吸，保护面罩……”初夏，海军潜艇学院某基地内，预选军士学员整齐穿戴装具，组训经验丰富的教员、三级军士长徐静波反复叮嘱训练要点。随着开始口令的下达，一场鱼雷发射管逃生训练拉开帷幕。训练现场，学员们依次潜入水中，钻进狭窄的鱼雷发射管。随着闸门闭合，高压水流喷涌而入，学员们下意识紧扒管壁。徐静波透过观察窗，密切注视着每名学员的动作，随时准备处置突发情况。 “鱼雷发射管逃生是潜艇兵必须掌握的生存技能，也是公认的重难点训练科目。”该基地领导介绍，通过鱼雷发射管逃生，速度太慢太快都不行，慢了会错失最佳时机，快了容易导致肺泡破裂。同时，在狭窄空间内面对高压水流冲击，稍有不慎便会呛水，进而引发恐慌情绪。因此，这项训练对参训学员的技术水平和心理素质都是极大的考验。学员郑琰骐首次参加鱼雷发射管逃生训练。冰冷水流的涌入、狭窄环境带来的压抑感，让他有些慌乱，原本的呼吸节奏也被瞬间打乱。观察窗外，徐静波看到郑琰骐身体不停晃动，立即通过对讲系统连续下达指令，帮助他平复情绪、稳住状态。在徐静波指导下，郑琰骐屏气凝神，不断调整身体姿态，沿着发射管缓缓挪动，最终顺利完成训练。据介绍，近年来，该基地按照“分层施训、精准施教、以考促训”的思路，帮助学员练强鱼雷发射管逃生技能。实践中，教员通过“一对一”等方式为学员示范讲解钻管、爬行、避险等动作要领，并带领他们熟悉发射管构造、掌握操作步骤；学员熟悉基础动作后，根据训练进度逐步参加分解动作练习、全流程模拟训练以及水下实操训练。此外，教员还为每名学员建立“训练档案”，详细记录他们在训练中暴露的问题，并据此制订补训计划和强训方案，实现“一人一策、查漏补缺”。笔者在现场看到，此次训练设置了舱室失电、管内水流突变等多种特情，倒逼学员在复杂环境下锤炼心理素质与应急处置能力。学员郭思成爬至鱼雷发射管中段位置时，断电特情不期而至，发射管瞬间被黑暗笼罩。密闭空间内，郭思成临危不乱，一手按紧呼吸面罩防止进水漏气，一手扶稳管壁稳住身体。在漆黑狭小的管道内，他凭借过硬素质顺利完成训练。训练结束后，徐静波为郑琰骐逐项分析短板不足，认真讲解动作要领，亲自钻进鱼雷发射管，为他示范正确操作。“训练时没有纠正的小问题，真到了战场上就可能变成大风险。”该基地领导表示，只有通过不断磨砺，形成精准操作的“肌肉记忆”，才能在危急时刻顺利穿越狭窄管道逃生。下一步，他们将带领学员全面复盘，重点解决应急情况处置等方面存在的共性问题，帮助学员夯实能力根基。