I don’t know what portions of the MK-9 SEAL Delivery Vehicle are still classified and which parts are not. Since they have MK-9’s and photos of MK-9’s on display at museums, it must be the interior of the boats, which still have classified portions – dealing with inertial navigation.
The MK-9 SDV is very small, carries a two man crew and is very uncomfortable to operate. It was a weapons platform to deliver two MK-46 torpedoes.
This answers John Coffey’s question from this morning on whether or not you could arm a very small mini-sub with torpedoes.
There were still two MK-9 SDV platoons when I was at SDVT-One (a reservist at the time) in the early 1990’s. I have heard that they retired the MK-9.
Museum photos:

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10 COMMENTS

  2. Yes, the ASDV is far nicer, far more capable, far more comfortable. And they moved to Bremerton.

  4. Being that difficult to operate and being successful in your mission is what makes it cool. Something not many can do. Good on ya, mate.

  5. When I say they're uncomfortable to be in, it's very much like laying inside a very tight coffin on your belly, nearly blind unless the periscope is up and it's only up for the last few seconds before an attack is launched, surrounded by water (wet sub), and beaten up by the surge because the boat travels shallow. Those of us who have locked out of a torpedo tube and there was a time when we all did it in training… (I don't know if they do it now) feel that operating a MK-9 is worse. When locking out of a torpedo tube, the mission is to get the F&%k out. In a MK-9 the mission is to remain in it – for a long time.

    If you were prone to sea sickness, it would be worse because you are surrounded by water – barf into the water in the blackness that surrounds you and replace the mouthpiece in your tiny coffin. Neck cramps alone eliminate all but the stoutest souls.

    There are a lot of things about that career track that sound cool and a bit romantic until you have to do them. Then it's not nearly as cool.

  6. It's difficult to put it to civilians in such a way that they would understand how things work. The civilian work clock is 8 hours. When did you only work 8 hours when underway?

  8. They also catheterize you before you go down because you're immersed in cold water for a long time and your bladder still needs to deal with liquid. Before you go down you super hydrate with glucose-heavy fluid (said to lead to diabetes) so that you don't die of hypothermia. Fun, huh?

  9. The guys who deployed out of the Greyback and Growler are saying something about getting off their lawn.
    A little Classified story.
    Even the toilet paper delivery's were classified to those boats, because someone eventually might figure out how many extra guys were aboard.

  10. I had a friend who served as supercargo on the 587 back when they were working on operation Ivy Bells (now declassified). He's dead – cancer took him.

    There was a lot of those sorts of things, most still classified.

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