Advanced SEAL Delivery System

Advanced SEAL Delivery System (ASDS) is a submarine designed for the United States Navy SEALs as a means of transporting special operations forces for covert operations. The ASDS was developed to address the need for a long-range insertion capability for special operations forces.

History

The ASDS project was initiated in the 1980s as a response to the limitations of the Swimmer Delivery Vehicle (SDV), which was the primary means of delivering SEALs to their mission areas at the time. The SDV was limited in range and payload capacity, and it exposed the SEALs to the harsh ocean environment. The ASDS was designed to overcome these limitations.

The ASDS was developed by the Electric Boat Corporation, a subsidiary of General Dynamics. The first ASDS, ASDS-1, was delivered to the Navy in 2000. However, the program faced numerous technical and budgetary challenges, and was eventually cancelled in 2009.

Design

The ASDS is a 65-foot long, 9-foot diameter mini-submarine. It is capable of carrying a team of up to 16 SEALs, along with their equipment. The ASDS is equipped with advanced navigation and communication systems, and is capable of operating at depths of up to 200 feet.

The ASDS is designed to be launched from a host submarine, such as the Ohio-class submarine. Once launched, the ASDS can travel to the mission area, deploy the SEALs, and then return to the host submarine.

Operational Use

Despite the cancellation of the program, the ASDS has seen operational use. The most notable use of the ASDS was during Operation Neptune Spear, the mission that resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden. The ASDS was used to transport SEAL Team Six to the mission area.

See Also

• United States Navy SEALs
• Swimmer Delivery Vehicle
• Ohio-class submarine
• Operation Neptune Spear