Tactical Diving Vehicles (TDVs) act as force multipliers for maritime Special Operations Forces (SOF), greatly enhancing operational capability. With a re-focus on the maritime amongst NATO and her allies, as the littoral operational battlespace evolves to meet an increasing range of threats, the relevance of TDVs has never been more apparent.
As we assess the tactical and strategic landscape, TDVs are increasingly seen as a vital component of current and future SOF littoral and underwater manoeuvre operations. Such vehicles bridge critical capability gaps, enhance operational capability whilst increasing mission success probability when operating in complex, high threat littoral environments.
‘Integrate to Extend’ Multi-Mission Capability
Multi-mode TDVs capable of transiting on the surface, semi-submerged and sub-surface, in particular offer SOF commanders a flexible and adaptable platform that can be configured for a wide range of operational objectives. Central to this adaptability is the “integrate and extend” concept, where the base TDV platform can be enhanced by integrating advanced technologies that improve both mission effectiveness and diver safety, extending operational relevance and utility across various scenarios.
For example, the integration of biometric monitoring systems allows for real-time health assessments of divers, feeding data back to a central on-board diver ‘data bus’. This can also enhance underwater mission communication and rehearsal, providing teams with an integrated picture of both environmental conditions and diver status. This enables commanders to quickly overlay, mesh, and enrich the mission reconnaissance data with situational awareness, giving the team on board accurate and up-to-date information.
This integrated approach enhances the ability for TDVs to adapt to diverse mission profiles, from Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) operations to stand-off attacks and diver delivery. For example, a concept operation could involve a three vehicle Carrier Seal platoon, where each TDV is optimised for specialist mission objectives: one vehicle focusing on ISTAR, deploying Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) to gather intelligence; another configured for stand-off attack, equipped for precision strikes; and the third serving as a diver delivery vehicle. The integration of mission-critical data and diver safety systems across these platforms ensures that each vehicle can operate effectively within a larger, coordinated mission. This level of mission specialisation makes multi-mode TDVs an invaluable maritime SOF asset.
Meeting Modern Amphibious Requirements
As the UK Royal Navy / Royal Marine Commandos and other allied amphibious forces re-assess their small craft requirements, TDVs emerge as a viable solution for both discrete and covert littoral operations. For specialist amphibious reconnaissance & raiding forces that do not have a tactical diving capability, the ability to operate in a semi-submerged mode significantly reduces the vehicle’s signature. This provides a means of discrete infiltration and exfiltration when in high threat areas not offered by conventional surface raiding craft, thus reducing the probability of mission compromise.
Besides operability with larger insertion / extraction support platforms, the long-range capability of TDVs such as the JFD Carrier Seal, offer SOF units an independent organic over-the-horizon capability. This not only increases operational flexibility at a unit level, but also enables the employment of multi-mode TDVs without exposing high-value assets such as submarines and surface ships, to unnecessary risk. Moreover, for navies that lack submarines capable of supporting TDV operations, TDVs offer a cost-effective alternative, enabling maritime SOF the ability to cross an expanding ‘water gap’ and conduct operations that would otherwise be beyond their reach. The versatility and relatively low cost of TDVs compared to larger platforms make them an attractive option for maritime security providing rapid response, coastal defence, and critical national infrastructure (CNI) protection.
Looking to the Future
The mission configurability and specialisation concept is further reinforced when embracing emerging technologies such as manned and unmanned systems. Integrating diver monitoring technologies and advanced life support systems will further enhance operational effectiveness and safety. This includes the integry,ation of onboard data systems that provide a unified communication and information platform for divers, enhancing both mission planning and real-time operational adjustments. As the strategic environment shifts, JFD TDVs will increasingly incorporate these innovations, ensuring that they remain at the forefront of maritime SOF underwater operations.
Strategic defence reviews highlight a growing need for adaptability and reconfigurability in military assets. In this context, multi-mode TDVs provide a solution that not only meets current operational demands but also anticipates future requirements. Their ability to operate independently in the littoral of extended distances, deliver over-the-horizon capabilities and provide robust environmental protection for Tactical Divers when submerged, sets them apart from the traditional Swimmer Delivery Vehicle (SDV) and other maritime small craft platforms.
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