ASDS Mini-Sub Program Sinks, As Replacement Rises
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In a program that began with great promise but soon spiraled out of control, Northrop Grumman has been building ASDS “Advanced SEAL delivery System” mini-subs as successors to the previous SDV (SEAL/Swimmer Delivery Vehicle) carried on US Benjamin Franklin class (SSBN-640) attack submarines.
In the end, however, technical, reliability, and 400% cost overrun issues proved insuperable. The ASDS program was canceled for all intents and purposes on April 6/06, but the existing boat was retained and improvements attempted. That has been cut short with the destruction of ASDS-1, and a less ambitious replacement program is beginning to take shape…
- The ASDS Program & Mission [updated]
- ASDS: Taking on Water
- What’s Next? The SWCS/JMMS [NEW]
- To Davy Jones’ Locker & Back: Contracts and Key Events [updated]
- Appendix A: DID Op/Ed, December 2005
- Appendix B: Additional Readings and Sources
Get instant access all DII coverage of the mini-sub when you subscribe to DII. Our cross-linked article network and reference materials include:
- Events chronology including its technical, reliability, and 400% cost overruns, temporary cancellation, and final destruction
- The 2007 GAO report on the ASDS program: "...the U.S. Special Operations Command has continued to invest millions of dollars to fix existing problems and address new ones in an attempt to make the boat operational."
- The ASDS' replacement SWCS/JMMS program
- Quick Links to the library of ongoing DII coverage including: "USA Spending $7.1M to Upgrade SEAL Delivery Vehicles, "SSGN ëTactical Trident' Subs: Special Forces and Super Strike Military Transformation," "It's a Boat, It's a Sub, It'sÖ..," "ASDS Mini-Sub Program Goes to Davey Jones' Locker," and "$9.5M Engineering Services Contract Includes ASDS Work"
- Links to related articles and resources including the concept of mini-sub use in the drug trade
- Photos
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