MAKICHUK: SOF Week 'as close to a real-life mission as it gets'

BREAKING NEWS: America's special forces have been unleashed on Tampa, Fla. once again. Don't be alarmed if you hear explosions, gunfire and low-flying helicopters carrying heavily armed special forces commandos.Thankfully this is not a bad thing. In fact, it's kind of cool.SOF Week (Special Operations Forces Week) is returning to the Tampa Convention Center, including the highly anticipated military capabilities demonstration entitled the “Battle in the Bay,” which draws thousands of locals and tourists.This isn't a Disney ride or a Las Vegas show, it's a real-life attack situation with America's best — a thrilling military showcase.The May 6-10 expo is an opportunity to see what is new in military tech and draws attendees from nearly 80 nations. It also makes an economic impact of more than US$12 million on the city, Tampa.gov officials said.On of the bright spots this year, is from UK-based James Fisher Defense (JFD Limited), one of the world's leading subsea operations and manufacturing companies..According to a report in Shephard Media, JFD and US partner Blue Tide Marine are presenting their innovative Carrier Seal and Shadow Seal tactical diving vehicles (TDV,) designed to offer special operations forces (SOF) advanced capabilities.Company officials say TDVs can provide a step-change in capability over in-service SEAL Delivery Vehicles (SDVs,) which are typically launched from submarines and restricted to operating underwater.Such deployments, officials suggested, risks the exposure of submarines.Highlighting their extended range over SDVs and ability to operate on the surface, semi-submerged and underwater, JFD’s strategy, sales and marketing director Alistair Wilson described how TDVs could be launched from harbours as well as motherships at significantly further stand-off ranges.The latter would reduce the requirement to forward deploy Virginia- and Ohio-class submarines, Shephard Media reported.TDVs have yet to become a program of record within the US Special Operations Command as the Tampa-based organization continues to focus on transitioning from Mk8 SDVs to Teledyne FLIR’s Mk11 Shallow Water Combat Submersible (SWCS)..But, according to Wilson, NSW, the US Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) and US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) are keen to "start understanding the capability" of TDVs.Wilson confirmed that both Carrier Seal and Shadow Seal platforms will conduct demonstrations on the Garrison Channel, which runs past the Tampa Convention Center.He went on to describe how both platforms could be used to support special reconnaissance as well as the tactical insertion/extraction of small unit teams, particularly in littoral and denied environments where even low observable craft can be easily spotted by well-equipped adversaries, Shephard Media reported."Platforms must be covert and go underwater," Wilson stressed before explaining how TDVs were "hard to spot when operating in an already noisy environment" at a depth of just two to three metres.The Carrier Seal, which has the capacity to carry eight personnel, has a maximum surface range of 150nm (travelling at 30kts) and a 40nm range underwater. The range can be extended with the integration of fuel bags.Shadow Seal has a maximum range of 80nm on the surface or submerged, typically travelling at speeds between five and seven kts. It can carry a total of four operators (a pilot, navigator and two passengers).Meanwhile, the "Battle of the Bay" demonstration is one of the most exciting parts of SOF Week, Tamp.gov said.More than 170 United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and international service members from 10 nations will take part in a mock scenario defending the City of Tampa from "hostile invaders."Helicopters, boats, drones, ATVS, scuba divers, snipers and much more will all be involved in the demo.Tampa officials said "this is as close to a real-life mission as it gets," .“The real selling piece for Shadow Seal is the denied environment that everybody's operating in,” Wilson said. “In air and land terms the world is electronically congested. Underwater, however, you're still in a protected space. So, your ability to transit over the water and then, when you get near to where you want to get to, the ability to go covertly under water … this is the kind of doctrinal change that we're trying to develop with Shadow Seal.”Shadow Seal was first developed by Ortega Submersibles in The Netherlands which was acquired by JFD in 2019 and has since undergone further development and rigorous trials. JFD has combined 40 years’ experience within the subsea domain with proven technology; found within JFD’s Carrier Seal which is in operation with a number of the World’s Navies. Recent upgrades included in the latest Shadow Seal include expansion of available battery power enhancing range and endurance capacity.— with files from Shephard Media

MAKICHUK: SOF Week 'as close to a real-life mission as it gets'

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