Famous Civil War submarine: H. L. Hunley
During the American Civil War the Navy of the Confederate States were heavily outgunned by the Union’s navy. Invariably the development of sneak attack craft is born of desperation as an effort to confront the numerically and qualitatively superior force. Civilian engineers were invited to submit proposals to the Confederate Navy and promised financial rewards for successful designs. Best known of these Confederate sneak craft was the HL Hunley.... Read More >....
All articles
Swe_OSINT
Win for responsible OSINT: Swedish town moves webcam covering naval base
A recent Covert Shores article highlighted the potential use of public webcams to provide Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) about submarine operating patterns and capabilities. This used a webcam overlooking the Swedish Naval Base of Karlskrona as an example. Since the article the local government has a agreed to the navy’s request to move the camera.... Read More >....
Narco_Seehund
Narco-Sub based on German Seehund Midget Submarine
One of the most unusual drug smuggling ‘narco-subs’ was this fully submersible midget submarine captured by Columbian forces in a jungle factory near the Ecuadorian border on or around 27th November 2011. It has an uncanny resemblance to German World War Two Seehund midget submarine... Read More >....
OSINT_Webcams
Analysis of submarine operating patterns and capabilities using public webcams
The recent Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) revolution has seriously eroded the secrecy which can be expected of submarine operations. Fueled by the Information age and, increasingly, the AI revolution, OSINT provides many ways to track certain elements of submarine operations, principle the time they spend in port. This is significant because it can reveal operating patterns, readiness levels, procedures and routes, indicators of movement and, potentially changes in readiness status. During times of tension some OSINT sources may provide real-time or near real time indicators of action or inaction, of strength or vulnerability.... Read More >....
SSV
Submersible Support Vessel 
The US Department of Defense (DOD) released its Expeditionary Advance Base Operations Wargame Toolkit and options in November 2016. The unclassified document is intended to illustrate the art of the possible and does not imply DOD endorsement or funded requirements. It does however show the direction of thinking of the DOD... Read More >....
OSINT_danger
Danger of circular references in OSINT 
Official commemorative pendants depicting Russian spy submarines are a goldmine for Open Source Intelligence (OSINT). The aim of Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) is to gain insights into the activities, capabilities and intentions of {insert government or non-state organization} using publicly available information. So in the case of the secretive world of Russian submarine programs this includes trawling through documents and web chatter related to the shipyards and design bureaus associated with them. Often pendants, posters and medals reveal or confirm some small details about the submarines in question.
However, things are not always what they seem.... Read More >....
Pr885_Analysis
Originaly posted 17th April 2017
Analysis of Project 885M Yasen-M Submarine images After the first improved project-885M Yasen-M submarine, K-561 Kazan, was launched at the Sevmash yard on 31st March 2017, images are slowly leaking out of Russia.
Read More >....
Narco-VSV
First two Very Slender Vessel (VSV) narco-subs seized
On Saturday 22nd April 2017 anti-narcotics agents from the Guatemalan National Civil Police seized an abandoned narco-sub in the Pacific. A second example was intercepted by USCGC Waesche (WMSL-751) on 8th June. One is interesting, two is a trend.....
Read More
Ortega_SDV
Updated text on Mk.1D 9th June 2018
Latest Dutch Special Forces Swimmer Delivery Vehicles
Dutch Swimmer Delivery Vehicles built by Ortega are based on the original World War Two ‘Sleeping Beauty’. That was a small single-person boat designed to run for long distances on the surface, only submerging when it approached the target area. Despite the unambiguous influence, the Ortega designs add modern hydrodynamics and the latest technology to create a cutting-edge Special Forces vehicle.. Read More >....
Chariot_Mk2
The forgotten British SDV: Chariot Mk.II 
The Chariot Mk.II is a forgotten hero of World War Two British midget submarines. It was kept secret and remained in service after the war...
Read More