What is the command triad on a submarine?

• A. Captain, Executive Officer, Chief of Boats
• B. Commanding Officer, Navigator, Engineering Officer
• C. CO, XO, COB
• D. Captain, First Officer, Chief Engineer

Answer: (C)

The command triad on a submarine consists of the Commanding Officer, the Executive Officer, and the Chief of Boats. The CO holds overall command and responsibility for the submarine’s mission, safety, and performance. The XO acts as the primary assistant to the CO, handling daily operations, planning, training, and admin to keep the ship running smoothly. The Chief of Boats is the senior enlisted leader, coordinating the crew’s welfare, discipline, and readiness, and serving as the main bridge between officers and enlisted personnel.

This trio is used because it balances command authority (CO), focused staff support and execution (XO), and enlisted leadership and safety oversight (COB). Other options replace one of these roles with positions like Navigator, Engineering Officer, or Chief Engineer, which are department heads rather than the top three command roles on a submarine, or use terminology not used for submarines (like First Officer). The CO role may carry different ranks on various boats, but the triad is defined by these three positions: CO, XO, and COB.