SEAL Delivery Vehicle

SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team Two launch an SDV from Los Angeles-class submarine USS Philadelphia
Class overview
BuildersThe Columbia Group[1]
OperatorsUnited States Navy
Succeeded byShallow Water Combat Submersible (planned)[2]
In commissionSince 1983[2]
General characteristics
TypeSubmersible, diver propulsion vehicle
Displacement17 tons (15.4 tonnes)[3]
Length6.7 meters (22 ft)[4]
Beam1.8 meters (5.9 ft)[3]
PropulsionSilver-zinc batteries powering an electric motor and single screw propeller[5][4]
Speed
  • 6 kn (11 km/h) (top speed)[3]
  • 4 kn (7.4 km/h) (cruising speed)[4]
Range
  • 15 to 18 nmi (28 to 33 km) with diving team[3]
  • 36 nmi (67 km) without[4]
Endurance8[6] to 12 hours[7]
Test depth6 meters (20 ft)[8]
Complement6 (2 crew, 4 passengers)[4]
Sensors and
processing systems		Doppler Inertial Navigation System, high frequency sonar for obstacle/mine avoidance and navigation, GPS[5]
ArmamentSEAL team personal weapons, limpet mines[7]
NotesSpecifications are given for Mark 8 SDV

The SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) is a crewed submersible and a type of swimmer delivery vehicle used to deliver United States Navy SEALs and their equipment for special operations missions. It is operated by SEAL Delivery Vehicle Teams.

The SDV, which has been in continuous service since 1983, is used primarily for covert or clandestine missions to denied access areas (either held by hostile forces or where military activity would draw notice and objection). It is generally deployed from the Dry Deck Shelter on a specially-modified attack or ballistic missile submarines, although it can also be launched from surface ships or land. It has seen combat in the Gulf War, Iraq War, and the US intervention in Somalia.[9]

The SDV was intended to be replaced with the Advanced SEAL Delivery System (ASDS), a larger, dry submersible that is often confused with the SDV. The SDV is flooded, and the swimmers ride exposed to the water, breathing from the vehicle's compressed air supply or using their own SCUBA gear, while the ASDS is dry inside and equipped with a full life support and air conditioning system. The ASDS was canceled in 2009 due to cost overruns and the loss of the prototype in a fire.[10][11] The Navy currently plans to replace the SDV with the Shallow Water Combat Submersible (SWCS), which will be designated the Mark 11 SDV.[2] The SWCS was expected to enter service in 2019.

  1. ^ Delaney, Katy (July 10, 2013). "Dual Use Submersible Vehicle Wins Prestigious R&D 100 Award for Battelle, The Columbia Group, and Bluefin Robotics" (Press release). Battelle. Retrieved 20 September 2018 – via MarketWired.
  2. ^ a b c George, Alexander (2014-08-01). "Climb Into the Mini-Sub Navy SEALs Use to Bring Death From Below". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2018-09-04.
  3. ^ a b c d Jane's Fighting Ships. 2010.
  4. ^ a b c d e Kelly, Christopher J. (April 1998). The Submarine Force in Joint Operations (PDF) (Report). Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Air Command and Staff College. AU/ACSC/145/1998-04. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Museum was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Kelly was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b Davis, Eric (December 24, 2013). "US Navy SEALs: SDV1". Special Operations. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  8. ^ Hooton, E. R. (December 1, 2005). "By sea & stealth: maritime special forces tend to arrive in hostile territory by sea and by stealth, but where once they would be delivered by rubber dinghies from a submarine now they are using Special Delivery Vehicles (SDV) and even midget submarines". Armada International. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  9. ^ Burgess, Richard (October 2018). "New Seahorses For The Seals". Seapower.
  10. ^ Cole, William (25 July 2009). "Prototype mini-sub shelved". DMZ Hawai'i. Archived from the original on 6 September 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018 – via Honolulu Star Advertiser.
  11. ^ Polmar, Norman (16 December 2008). "Problems Persist for SEAL Mini-Subs". Military.com. Archived from the original on 22 January 2009. Retrieved 2008-12-16.