A NATO nation hires a nuclear submarine commander on social media.

The Royal Navy has been forced to post a job advert on LinkedIn to hire a new vice-admiral to lead its submarine fleet, in a move that a British military source described as "unprecedented" and "disgraceful ".

The ad was picked up by British media on Friday after it first appeared on a professional networking site late last month. Senior officers usually rise through the ranks, but the Times reported that "no one is currently qualified or prepared to replace Admiral Simon Asquith, who is in charge of submarines".

"Royal Navy seeks Submarine Officer for Stealth, Elite Operations and Trident." A recruitment notice for the Royal Navy says: "Applicants must be in the Reserves or have served in the Permanent Forces."

A separate page on the Army's website states that a two-star post requires at least two years of service. He was to receive £150,000 a year.

An anonymous ex-submarine called the online recruitment drive an "utter disgrace" in an op-ed for The Times, claiming "the only people who will apply are brigadier general technicians who are not properly qualified".

I walked alive. Another military source called the decision "unprecedented" and pointed to a recruitment crisis in the British military, including the Royal Navy.

Earlier this week, the Telegraph noted that the Navy is so short-staffed that two ships will have to be withdrawn to properly operate a new class of frigates. The ships affected by the cuts are HMS Argyll and HMS Westminster, the latter recently undergoing an expensive repair.

British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps also discussed plans to withdraw more amphibious assault ships due to manpower shortages, the Times reported. The latest figures released by the Ministry of Defense show that the army will shrink by almost 4% in 2023.

However, some observers were less critical of the ongoing ad campaign, according to former Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Tom Sharpe. "In an ideal world the Royal Navy would make choices internally, but we're not in the same world, so I think it makes sense to broaden the scope of that role," Sharpe told the Telegraph.

A Royal Navy spokesman declined to comment further on LinkedIn's announcement, saying it "would be inappropriate to comment before the appointment", but stressed the service would "do everything possible to ensure the Navy's capabilities".

It is necessary to meet current and future operational requirements.”