A prototype of the S351 dry combat submersible vehicle.
In this era of great power warfare, the U.S. Navy’s special SEALs have a new underwater vehicle, and it may prove to be pivotal.
The Dry Combat Submersible (DCS) is a fully enclosed mini-submersible that will keep SEALs safe and warm while transporting them to their destinations, according to Popular Mechanics.com 20.
The 30-ton submersible can carry up to eight Navy SEALs, allowing them to stay inside for at least 24 hours. In fact, back in World War II, the small, purpose-built mini-submarines were popular for transporting frogmen to engage in combat missions against enemy ships. In addition, these mini-submarines were also used to transport small task forces to coastal targets, allowing larger warships to stay away from the coastline.
Today, the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) uses the Mark VIII SEAL Delivery Vehicle, also known as the “wet” submarine. On this submarine, both crew and crew members must wear a diving suit and breathing apparatus while diving.
Although the lack of a pressurized hull makes the design simpler, the need to wear protective equipment can cause fatigue on board. To solve the problem of the “wet” mini-submarine, the military developed a dry combat submarine vehicle. Basically, it is a mini-submarine with a pressurized cabin, powered by lithium-ion batteries, with two crew members and capable of carrying eight heavily armed Navy SEALs.
While on board, the crew and SEALs wear their usual clothing and breathe through the air supply system. However, once they arrive at their destination, the SEALs change into diving suits and put on breathing apparatus to enter the sea through the access seal compartment. When the dry combat submersible carrier surfaces, the SEALs are able to exit through two hatches on the top of the ship.
For U.S. Navy Special Forces, having a dry combat submersible carrier will greatly upgrade their combat capabilities. And they would be able to fight differently against major threats such as China, Russia and North Korea. Analysis points out that China has 9,000 miles (about 14,484 kilometers) of coastline, while North Korea has 1,500 miles (about 2,414 kilometers), both leaving plenty of room for the SEALs to sneak in quietly.
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