Submit An Article

We want our readers to submit articles or photos to UNDERSEA WARFAREMagazine! Most of our editorial content each quarter comes from the fleet or the submarine shore establishment, and we encourage anyone interested in contributing to send us your work.

To forward an article or photograph to the magazine, click here. To download our 2004 Production Calendar, which includes deadlines and other production information, click here.

To help better focus your writing, please consider the following tips…

Readership. While UNDERSEA WARFARE Magazine’s primary audience is active-duty U.S. Navy submariners, we also enjoy substantial readership throughout the fleet, among Washington D.C. decision-makers, and at associated universities and scientific organizations around the world. In writing for UNDERESEA WARFARE, feel free to be as technical and thorough as necessary to tell your story. If you’re writing from the fleet, write as if you are addressing your entire crew. And if you played a major role in the topic of discussion – a commanding officer relating the challenges of a recent deployment, for instance – don’t hesitate to write in the first person and include your personal thoughts on the subject.

General Guidelines:

Feature Articles. Feature stories in UNDERSEA WARFARE are normally about 2,500 words long and focus on the accomplishments, special interests, and/or history of the U.S. Submarine Force. They cover a wide variety of topics, from accounts of recent deployments and current operations – such as Iraqi Freedom – to new training techniques or modern technologies that will enhance future capabilities. All submissions should be written as much as possible in the active voice, with technical descriptions keyed to the average reader and all acronyms spelled out on first use.

If you think you have a good idea for a feature article but have questions on how to get started, don’t hesitate to contact us directly! UNDERSEA WARFARE’s editorial staff will work with you to produce a top-quality result that you and your command will be proud of.

News Articles. Generally shorter in length than full feature articles (approximately 1,500 words), news stories focus on specific events in the submarine community, including the fleet, the shore establishment, and the industrial and academic organizations that support us. News articles should cover the entire “who, what, where, when, why, and how” of timely topics, and if necessary, provide enough background to put the subject in its proper context.

Downlink Articles. The Downlink section of the magazine, located in the back pages, offers brief news articles, photos with extended cutlines, and the most recent qualifier and award information we receive from fleet public affairs officers. Downlink articles are generally less than 500 words long and often focus on “human interest” stories, significant awards, or other achievements by outstanding crews or individuals.

Operational Depth. Located on the back page of the magazine, Operational Depth is UNDERSEA WARFARE’s counterpart to an Op/Ed column. We’re looking for brief, insightful observations by submariners who have something unusual or memorable to say about life in our close-knit undersea community. This could be a division officer describing recent achievements in his shop from his own point of view – or a COB reflecting on what first made him join the Submarine Force. Operational Depth is supposed to be somewhat free-form, but the writing should be focused, personal, and approximately 500-750 words in length.

Navy Artwork. UNDERSEA WARFARE Magazine reserves the back cover of each issue to highlight the work of artists, past and present, who have portrayed the Submarine Force and related activities in interesting visual ways. We welcome both amateur and professional submissions, but generally anything sent to us will be retained for our files.

Photo Requirements. There are two important things to remember about submitting photos to UNDERSEA WARFARE: High resolution and full identification. Color prints – which we can scan – are generally straightforward, but for digital submissions, we require a resolution of at least 300 dpi at the size the graphic will appear in the magazine. We also need the full name, rank/rate, and job title of anyone shown in each photograph, along with a complete description of what is being depicted.

Also, don’t forget that UNDERSEA WARFARE co-sponsors an annual photo contest in conjunction with the Naval Submarine League that offers cash prizes and automatic publication in the magazine! For more information, look here.

To submit your written work or photos to UNDERSEA WARFARE Magazine, click here.