A secretive Navy SEAL “Delivery Vehicle,” or SDV, secretly suffered a secret mishap during secret training on Oct. 24, officials confirmed this week.
The SDV, basically a mini submarine launched from a bigger submarine that ferries SEALs on missions, allided with a fixed object that day, according to the Naval Safety Command.
No one was injured in the mishap, according to Naval Special Warfare Command spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Kara Handley, who declined to say where the mishap occurred.
“We cannot provide further details at this time due the ongoing investigation,” she said in an email.
Naval Safety Command listed the SEAL sub allision as a “Class A” mishap, which connotes damages of more than $2.5 million.
It was the second Class A afloat mishap of fiscal 2023, which began Oct. 1.
Command officials said this spring they were getting ready to get their SEAL Delivery Vehicle MK 11 at initial operating capability this year.
The MK 11 is slated to replace a MK 8 variant that has been ferrying SEALs around under the sea since the early 1980s, Navy Times’ sister publication, Defense News, reported in May.
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Both vehicles are so-called “wet, open submersibles,” meaning that combat divers or SEALs board and ride them to their destination while wearing scuba gear.
Such submersibles are generally launched from submarines, although officials said this spring that they want to explore additional options for delivering the SEAL subs.
Geoff is the managing editor of Military Times, but he still loves writing stories. He covered Iraq and Afghanistan extensively and was a reporter at the Chicago Tribune. He welcomes any and all kinds of tips at geoffz@militarytimes.com.
