Pearl Harbor SEALs introduce more capable delivery vehicle

by JO3 Brenda Diggs Navy Region Hawaii

Pearl Harbor SEAL Delivery Team One introduced, the first and only Advanced SEAL Delivery System vehicle (ASDS) May 5.
The battery-powered electric motor drive dry-submersible vessel is designed to carry SEALs to their objective area.
The ASDS is eight feet in diameter and weighs about 55 tons. It can be launched from Navy submarines, air transportable by C-5 or C-17, and land transportable.
"The ASDS will offer us enhanced undersea mobility capabilities for a wide range of special operations," said Lt. Cmdr. Bob Wilson, executive officer for SEAL Delivery Team One.
"The big advantage to this is we will be able to take the SEALs over a longer distance with more equipment and get them there dry. They will be fresh for the operation and have that much more capabilities."
The ASDS was built by Northrop Grumman Corporation and will be homported at the new ASDS Facility in Pearl City and once testing is complete, will be assigned to SDV Team One.
But for the next several months, the Navy and Northrop Grumman Corp. will be testing the military’s newest and only minisubmarine.
"We have a testing program that will last a couple of months and that is going to progress," said Wilson.
"As that progresses then certain aspects of the ASDS will develop our proceedures."
Currently, Navy SEAL teams are carried by converted nuclear submarines, such as the USS Kamehameha, and launched from platforms attached to the deck of the vessels, called dry-dock shelters, while submerged.
But these larger nuclear submarines can’t always get in close, and those special-operations divers have to get suited up in scuba gear and remain in the water for long periods of time, according to Wilson.
The USS Charlotte (SSN 766) and USS Greenville (SSN 772) have been specially configured to serve as host ships for the ASDS vehicle, according to Lt. Cmdr. Dave Warner, Commander Submarine Pacific Fleet public Affairs Officer.
"What the system is going to provide us with the capabilities to keep the SEALs dry, allow them to get to the beach faster and more secure and with more capability."
"The ASDS is very quite, very effective in that the testing demonstrates that and it will give us unparalled opportunity to be able to insert special forces into an area of concern safely, and give us significantly more capablility," added Werner.
Cmdr. Joe Fallone, program manager for the Navy Sea Systems Command, said the minisub program was started in the late 1980s.
Only one vessel has been built so far, at a cost of $230 million.
New Virginia-class submarines are currently being designed to carry ASDS.