Naval planners are doubtless considering the potential of ‘narco-sub’ technology being used by terrorist organizations in North Africa and the Middle East. The threat of this technology proliferating to terrorist and similar non-governmental forces has been highlighted several times, mainly with reference to smuggling arms and WMDs into mainland US from Central and South America. Narco-subs are already used extensively to smuggle narcotics from Colombia to Mexico on their passage towards US markets but despite the US coast being within range the ‘direct-to-market’ modus operandi has not revealed itself. And the threat of narco-subs being used to smuggle terrorist materials into US is currently unproven.
However, if there is one theater where we should expect to see the proliferation, it is along North Africa’s Mediterranean coast and in the Eastern Mediterranean.... Read More >....
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XPOST -nuclear-dimensions-south-china-sea
[XPOST - ForeignBrief.com] To keep pace with the US’ improving anti-submarine capabilities and its ballistic missile defence program, China will seek to better protect its submarines in the South China Sea.
New Chinese Type-094A SSBN
The latest JIN Class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) appears to be a new sub-variant featuring a slightly larger hump-back and blended lines on the sail similar to the related Type-093A SSN.... Read More >....
Project 1910 UNIFORM Class
The Project 1910 Kashalot Class deep-submergence special missions submarine (NATO: UNIFORM Class) was introduced in the 1980s, analogous to the US Navy’s NR-1. ... Read More >....
Hellenic Navy SDVs
(X-Post from Naval Analyses)
CosMoS CE2F were a series of Swimmer Delivery Vehicle (SDV) built by M/s Cos.Mo.S Spa. which was in Livorno of Italy. Cosmos is probably the most famous military wet-sub (chariot) / midget sub manufacturer in the world. ... The Hellenic Navy (Πολεμικό Ναυτικό) purchased some SDVs of the CE2F/X60 model (perhaps four) in the late '70s. In service, they were known as ΥΠ.ΟΧ. (Υποβρύχια Οχήματα). The CE2Fs are designed from the outset as a mean for attacking enemy warships in harbor as well as for other special operations..... Read more at Naval Analyses
SeaShadow DPV
The SeaShadow Diver Propulsion Vehicle (DPV) was developed specifically to meet US Navy EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) requirements.... Read More >....
USMC SDV history
Within the US Armed Forces, it is not just the US Navy SEALs who have a history of operating Swimmer Delivery Vehicles (SDVs). The US Marine Corps’ brief foray into operating the SDV Mk.7 ended in spectacular fashion on a golf course in Little Creek... Read More >....
ASDV-800
It’s not just USSOCOM who are revisiting the concept of Dry Combat Submersibles. Vogo Engineering designed the eight-man ASDV 800 (Advanced SDV)..... Read More >....
Rotinor DPV in Jason Statham movie
The trailer Jason Statham’s new movie, The Mechanic: Resurrection came out a couple of days ago. Sandwiched between the predicable fast action, fast women, grumpy looks and explosions was a brief glimpse of an underwater scene. Statham’s character (I thought he always played himself??) is seen on a sleek black underwater chariot. More specifically, a SeaBob diver propulsion vehicle (DPV) which is the civilian version of the Rotinor Divejet.... Read More >....
SharkMarine
In spite of navigation being probably the single greatest challenges to underwater operations, development has tended to emphasize the vehicle before the sensors. Traditionally for divers, sensor and navigation systems were subsystems of an SDV (Swimmer Delivery Vehicle), or merely optional add-ons. Many smaller DPVs (Diver Propulsion Devices, hand-held SDVs) has virtually no instrumentation making long range missions underwater unviable. Not only is this changing, but the relationship between navigation systems and SDV is reversing; increasingly SDVs can be seen as an add-on to a navigation system. Nowhere is this more apparent than with Canadian manufacturer SharkMarine.... Read More >....
