Git 1.8.2 introduced tracking of a branch instead of linking to a single commit of a submodule (like subversion externals). Description of the feature:

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/9189575/git-submodule-tracking-latest
http://bec-systems.com/site/1020/git-submodules-can-now-track-branches

To use it when updating submodules -remote parameter should be added:

git submodule update --remote

The feature is not currently supported by jenkins git plugin, as far as I know there is no workaround to use it.

I am thinking about 2 possible solutions:

1. Add an option to git project settings "Enable remote branch updating on submodule update"

2. Add a "custom git command line options" field for each internal git step.

Option 1 will be very specific and might fail on Git versions earlier than 1.8.2, option 2 can be more useful in solving other git plugin limitations. Option 3 would be to implement 1 and 2.