# How often are Navy Seals/commandos deployed from submarines? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 7, 2023, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-are-navy-seals-commandos-deployed-from-submarines/992735 "2023-11-07T05:37:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2023, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-are-navy-seals-commandos-deployed-from-submarines/992735/1 "2023-11-07T05:37:40Z")
A US attack submarine which can carry 66 Navy SEAL commandos (or 154 Tomahawk missiles) has entered the Persian Gulf to keep things interesting for Iran. SEAL forces “can clandestinely leave the vessel through forward bow compartments.” How often do such maneuvers take place during wartime? Googling I found a couple of examples from WWII and one from [the Korean War](https://www.marines.mil/Portals/1/Publications/Train%20Wreckers%20and%20Ghost%20Killers-Allied%20Marines%20in%20the%20Korean%20War%20%20PCN%2019000410700_1.pdf). There have also been military exercises where commandos have practiced this. Are there other examples? Bonus question: what sort of mission would be given to American commandos in the current conflict? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2023, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-are-navy-seals-commandos-deployed-from-submarines/992735/2 "2023-11-07T13:21:51Z")
I don’t know how often they’re actually deployed, but it’s definitely something the SEALs train for- there are even special operations submarines that are specifically outfitted to transport and deploy SEAL teams in hostile waters via all their cool mini subs and boats and stuff. To me anyway, that’s a pretty convincing argument that they train for that sort of deployment regularly. The Congress and Navy would be unlikely to refit a submarine for special operations, unless it’s a capability that is trained for and used/intended to be used. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2023, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-are-navy-seals-commandos-deployed-from-submarines/992735/3 "2023-11-07T13:28:08Z")
This is one way they deploy from submarines (I don’t know if there are other ways). There’s a section on operational history, which includes using these vehicles when _not_ deployed from submarines, but that’s still mostly relevant. > **[SEAL Delivery Vehicle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SEAL_Delivery_Vehicle)** > > The SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) is a crewed submersible and a type of swimmer delivery vehicle used to deliver United States Navy SEALs and their equipment for special operations missions. It is also operated by the Royal Navy's Special Boat Service, which operates three SDVs. > The SDV, which has been in continuous service since 1983, is used primarily for covert or clandestine missions to denied access areas (either held by hostile forces or where military activity would draw notice and objectio... ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2023, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-are-navy-seals-commandos-deployed-from-submarines/992735/4 "2023-11-07T14:51:30Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > A US attack submarine Technically, not an attack submarine. An _Ohio_ class guided missile submarine, USS Florida. > **[USS Florida (SSGN-728)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Florida_(SSGN-728))** > > USS Florida (SSBN-728/SSGN-728), an Ohio-class cruise missile submarine, is the sixth vessel of the United States Navy to be named for the U.S. state of Florida. She was commissioned with the hull designation of SSBN-728; with her conversion to a cruise missile submarine, from a ballistic missile submarine, she was re-designated SSGN-728. > The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut, on 28 February 1975 and her keel... An SSGN conversion of a former strategic missile submarine. Part of the conversion process is converting two of the Trident missile launch tubes into special forces team space, plus the Dry Deck Shelter (the container on the deck), which is a “garage” for diver vehicles. So, in addition to hundreds of Tomahawk cruise missiles (replacing the Trident ballistic missiles), the Ohio SSGN conversions were designed very specifically as special forces motherships. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2023, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-are-navy-seals-commandos-deployed-from-submarines/992735/5 "2023-11-09T02:53:07Z")
Well, to answer your question in the subject line … * * * ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-are-navy-seals-commandos-deployed-from-submarines/992735/6 "2023-11-10T03:23:53Z")
Isn’t the OP’s question one of those « If we told you, we’d have to kill you » situations? 😀 ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-are-navy-seals-commandos-deployed-from-submarines/992735/7 "2023-11-10T03:36:12Z")
That’s a little more severe than I was thinking. I was thinking of an answer along the lines of, “They deploy anywhere from zero to in excess of zero times per year.” ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-are-navy-seals-commandos-deployed-from-submarines/992735/8 "2023-11-10T04:29:23Z")
[Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann) provided an answer to the OP, albeit an indirect one. There is a soon-to-be-replaced underwater contraption called the SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) which resembles an underwater bobsled. It has limited range and is launched out of submarine tubes. It’s also launched off of ships. The following events were conducted with an SDV _probably_ launched from a submarine: The SDV was used during the Bush the First’s Gulf War, “Where it performed mine reconnaissance and demolition”. During the Iraqi invasion, SEAL teams surveilled and seized various offshore oil terminals. The SDV also enabled SEALs to install remote cameras along the Somali coastline. Launching an SDV from a ship involves cranes, which is why its probable that the above missions were conducted off of a submarine. Other examples include is Operation Thunderhead, conducted in 1972 to rescue POWs off the coast of Vietnam and Operation Ivy Bells to place wiretaps on Soviet communications: [Operation Thunderhead - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Thunderhead) > **[Operation Ivy Bells](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Ivy_Bells)** > > .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct,.mw-parser-output .geo-inline-hidden{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}57°36′N 155°42′E / 57.6°N 155.7°E / 57.6; 155.7 > Operation Ivy Bells was a joint United States Navy, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and National Security Agency (NSA) mission whose objective was to ... So the answer to the OP is, “Happens all the time, almost every other day.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.E](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.e/32/8932_2.png) [@Mr.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.E)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-are-navy-seals-commandos-deployed-from-submarines/992735/9 "2023-11-10T19:46:49Z")
The SSGN (guided missile submarine) referenced in the OP is a former SSBN (Ballistic missile submarine) that had most of its missile tubes converted from holding large Trident missiles to holding sets of smaller Tomahawk missiles. I say most because one of the tubes was converted to be an airlock for deploying SEAL commandos. SSGNs like their SSBN counterparts are designed to be extremely stealthy and quiet, so they’re an ideal platform for this purpose. They can come in near shore, let loose a squad to perform some stealthy shit nearby, then collect them again without ever surfacing or being detected. I would wager submarine deployment is one of the main ways seal teams are deployed from sea. The big limiting factor would be that we don’t have very many SSGNs and they’re relatively slow, especially compared to flying them in and dropping them via parachute. I’ve heard plenty of stories from sailors who served aboard SSGNs who would be going about their routine duties only to find a dozen or so SEALs show up in crew’s mess for a week or so and then disappear again, without the boat ever surfacing. When you work back in the engine room you’re not let in on that level of secret operations. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-are-navy-seals-commandos-deployed-from-submarines/992735/10 "2023-11-10T19:59:11Z")
> [@Mr.E](#): > > I say most because one of the tubes was converted to be an airlock for deploying SEAL commandos. Two, actually. And surplus volume in the other 22 tubes are available for SEAL supplies. > **[Ohio-class submarine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio-class_submarine#SSBN/SSGN_conversions)** > > The Ohio class of nuclear-powered submarines includes the United States Navy's 14 ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) and its four cruise missile submarines (SSGNs). Each displacing 18,750 tons submerged, the Ohio-class boats are the largest submarines ever built for the U.S. Navy. They are the world's third-largest submarines, behind the Russian Navy's Soviet-designed 48,000-ton Typhoon class (class retired in 2023)\[b\] and 24,000-ton Borei class. At 20 Trident II missiles apiece, Ohio-c Like ... > [@](#): > > The missile tubes also have room for stowage canisters that can extend the forward deployment time for special forces. **The other two Trident tubes** are converted to swimmer lockout chambers. For special operations, the Dry Combat Submersible (which replaced the Advanced SEAL Delivery System), as well as the dry deck shelter, can be mounted on the lockout chamber and the boat will be able to host up to 66 special-operations sailors or Marines, such as Navy SEALs, or USMC MARSOC teams. Improved communications equipment installed during the upgrade allows the SSGNs to serve as a forward-deployed, clandestine Small Combatant Joint Command Center. The _Ohio_ SSGNs aren’t just transportation. They’re mobile covert operations command bases.