Editing SEAL Delivery Vehicle (section)

{{Short description|Manned wet submersible for deploying naval special forces}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin <!-- submarine classes -->
|infobox caption= <!-- keywords: yes, nodab; or caption text -->
|display title= <!-- keywords: none, ital; or article title with markup -->
|sclass= <!-- keyword: 2 -->
}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=US Navy 050505-N-3093M-007 Members of SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team Two (SDVT-2) prepare to launch one of the team's SEAL Delivery Vehicles (SDV) from the back of the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Philadelphia (SSN 690).jpg
|Ship image size= 
|Ship caption=SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team Two launch an SDV from [[Los Angeles-class submarine|''Los Angeles''-class]] submarine {{USS|Philadelphia|SSN-690|6}}
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Builders=[[The Columbia Group]]<ref>{{cite press release |title=Dual Use Submersible Vehicle Wins Prestigious R&D 100 Award for Battelle, The Columbia Group, and Bluefin Robotics |url=http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/dual-use-submersible-vehicle-wins-prestigious-r-d-100-award-battelle-the-columbia-group-1809899.htm |last=Delaney |first=Katy |access-date=20 September 2018 |publisher=Battelle |via=MarketWired |date=July 10, 2013}}</ref>
|Operators=[[United States Navy]]
|Class before=
|Class after=''[[Shallow Water Combat Submersible]] (planned)''<ref name=George />
|Subclasses=
|Built range=
|In commission range=Since 1983<ref name=George>{{Cite magazine| issn = 1059-1028| last = George| first = Alexander| title = Climb Into the Mini-Sub Navy SEALs Use to Bring Death From Below| magazine = Wired| access-date = 2018-09-04| date = 2014-08-01| url = https://www.wired.com/2014/08/navy-seal-submarine/}}</ref>
|Total ships planned=
|Total ships on order=
|Total ships building=
|Total ships completed=
|Total ships cancelled=
|Total ships active=
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships lost=
|Total ships retired=
|Total ships scrapped=
|Total ships preserved=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type=[[Submersible]], [[diver propulsion vehicle]]
|Ship displacement=17 tons (15.4&nbsp;tonnes)<ref name="Jane's">{{cite book|title=Jane's Fighting Ships|year=2010}}</ref>
|Ship length={{convert|6.7|meter|ft}}<ref name=Kelly98 />
|Ship beam={{convert|1.8|meter|ft}}<ref name="Jane's" />
|Ship draught=
|Ship draft=
|Ship propulsion=[[Silver-zinc batteries]] powering an electric motor and single screw propeller<ref name=Museum /><ref name=Kelly98 />
|Ship speed=* {{convert|6|kn|km/h|abbr=on}} (top speed)<ref name="Jane's" />
* {{convert|4|kn|km/h|abbr=on}} (cruising speed)<ref name=Kelly98 />
|Ship range=* {{convert|15|to|18|nmi|km|abbr=on}} with diving team<ref name="Jane's" />
* {{convert|36|nmi|km|abbr=on}} without<ref name=Kelly98>{{cite report |last=Kelly |first=Christopher J. |date=April 1998 |title=The Submarine Force in Joint Operations |url=https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/docs/98-145.pdf |publisher=Air Command and Staff College |location=[[Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama]] |docket=AU/ACSC/145/1998-04 |access-date=7 September 2018 }}</ref>
|Ship endurance=8<ref name=Kelly /> to 12 hours<ref name=Davis />
|Ship test depth={{convert|6|meter|ft}}<ref name="SDV">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/By+sea+%26+stealth%3A+maritime+special+forces+tend+to+arrive+in+hostile...-a0140709845 | last=Hooton| first=E. R. | magazine=Armada International |title=By sea & stealth: maritime special forces tend to arrive in hostile territory by sea and by stealth, but where once they would be delivered by rubber dinghies from a submarine now they are using Special Delivery Vehicles (SDV) and even midget submarines. |access-date=September 4, 2018 |date=December 1, 2005}}</ref>
|Ship complement=6 (2 crew, 4 passengers)<ref name=Kelly98 />
|Ship sensors=Doppler [[Inertial Navigation System]], high frequency [[sonar]] for obstacle/mine avoidance and navigation, [[GPS]]<ref name=Museum />
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=SEAL team personal weapons, [[limpet mine]]s<ref name=Davis>{{cite web |last1=Davis |first1=Eric |title=US Navy SEALs: SDV1 |url=https://specialoperations.com/28311/us-navy-seals-sdv1/ |website=Special Operations |access-date=4 September 2018 |date=December 24, 2013}}</ref>
|Ship notes=Specifications are given for Mark 8 SDV
}}
|}

The '''SEAL Delivery Vehicle''' ('''SDV''') is a crewed [[submersible]] and a type of [[diver propulsion vehicle|swimmer delivery vehicle]] used to deliver [[United States Navy SEALs]] and their equipment for [[special operations]] missions. It is operated by SEAL Delivery Vehicle Teams. 

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 objection). It is generally deployed from the [[Dry Deck Shelter]] on a specially-modified [[Attack submarine|attack]] or [[ballistic missile submarine]]s, although it can also be launched from surface ships or land. It has seen combat in the [[Gulf War]], [[Iraq War]], and the [[OEF-HOA|US intervention in Somalia]].<ref name=Burgess>{{cite news |last1=Burgess |first1=Richard |title=New Seahorses For The Seals |work=[[Seapower (magazine)|Seapower]] |date=October 2018 }}</ref>

The SDV was intended to be replaced with the [[Advanced SEAL Delivery System]] (ASDS), a larger, dry submersible that is often confused with the SDV. The SDV is [[Wet sub|flooded]], and the swimmers ride exposed to the water, breathing from the vehicle's compressed air supply or using their own SCUBA gear, while the ASDS is dry inside and equipped with a full life support and air conditioning system. The ASDS was canceled in 2009 due to cost overruns and the loss of the prototype in a fire.<ref name=Cole>{{cite news |last1=Cole |first1=William |title=Prototype mini-sub shelved |url=http://www.dmzhawaii.org/dmz-legacy-site-two/?tag=advanced-seal-delivery-system |access-date=5 September 2018 |work=DMZ Hawai'i |date=25 July 2009 |via=[[Honolulu Star Advertiser]] |archive-date=6 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906014044/http://www.dmzhawaii.org/dmz-legacy-site-two/?tag=advanced-seal-delivery-system |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=Polmar>{{cite web|last=Polmar |first=Norman |url=http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,181232,00.html |title=Problems Persist for SEAL Mini-Subs |publisher=Military.com |access-date=2008-12-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122063820/http://www.military.com/features/0%2C15240%2C181232%2C00.html |archive-date=22 January 2009 |url-status=live |date=16 December 2008}}</ref> The Navy currently plans to replace the SDV with the [[Shallow Water Combat Submersible]] (SWCS), which will be designated the Mark 11 SDV.<ref name=George /> The SWCS was expected to enter service in 2019.