3 New Ways the U.S. Navy Will Fight Underwater Terrorism

• military
• Navy
• diving
• tech watch
• terrorism
• Al Qaeda

A lone diver can disable a warship from below the waterline using an explosive charge. The last time a frogman struck an American ship was in 1964, when a single Vietnamese diver sank the USS Card. The threat resurfaced almost 40 years later when the military disclosed the schemes of Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri. The mastermind of Al Qaeda’s deadly suicide boat attack on the USS Cole in Yemen in 2000, Nashiri apparently also trained recruits to plant explosives under docked ships in the Persian Gulf, although all his known attacks used suicide boats. (He was captured in 2002.) The Navy can locate divers with sonar but is looking for ways to stop them.

Sea Lions

Who: Marine Mammal Program How it works: The U.S. Navy uses trained sea lions’ acute sense of hearing to find divers. The animals attach a self-clipping cuff to the target’s leg so the diver can then be reeled in like a fish. Navy officials say they have “a handful” of sea lions in training at their facilities in San Diego and several permanently deployed at the Naval Submarine Base at Kings Bay in Georgia.

Sound Waves

Who: Hydroacoustics Inc. How it works: The Diver Interdiction System uses a blast of 3000-psi air pressure to create tremendous sound waves that will compel a diver to surface and surrender. The explosion of air can temporarily rattle the target’s lungs, ears and eyes at “hundreds of yards,” company officials say. The Navy is testing the system but others have their eyes on it: shipping firms, police departments and those securing the water intakes of vulnerable nuclear power plants.

Grenades

Who: U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center How it works: Normal hand grenades don’t do the trick underwater—they don’t explode right where you want them to. This year the Navy plans to finish testing the new Anti-Swimmer Grenade at a facility in Indiana. After setting the desired detonation depth, the user drops the grenade over the side. An automatic self-destruct function reduces the risk that unexploded grenades could threaten busy harbors.

9. RE: 3 New Ways the U.S. Navy Will Fight Underwater Terrorism
No mention of the navy seals? come on, now. it's right up their alley.

8. RE: 3 New Ways the U.S. Navy Will Fight Underwater Terrorism
To whom it may concern My name is J.H du Pisani (Dup) and I live in Lutzville, South Africa. I have done all sorts of diving,and ended my career with diamond diving on our West Coast. Because the water is so cold, I started to make my own dry suits. It took me over 4 years to perfect it. As far as I know, I am the only one in the world that can make my own latex dry suits in the sun. Many people have tried to make them without success. Up till know I have made hundreds of suits in a period of 30 years. They come in two sizes: medium and large. You can also choose between a hoodie or a neckseal.These suits are not made to compete with other sophisticated suits. They are made for the individual that has to pay himself for the suit, and where the water is very cold. They are not ideal for snorkelers, but rather like wreck diving,construction etc.where you go down and stay for some time. I have not patented these suits, because it will cost to much and I know that no one can make them anyway. When I needed to inflate the suit, I normally turned sideways and blew air through my nose.The air would go upwards and enter the side of the hoodie.However an inflation valve can be fitted.If you do get a hole,winddry it for +- 5 minutes and put ordinary patch and solution on and back in the water you go. The beauty of this suit is that it has no zip. You enter through a tunnel in front and tie it in a specific way. After diving 150 feet, you can come up and if you remove the hoodie,powder is still in your hair. After diving, winddry the suit for about 5 minutes, Throw some talcon powder (or baby powder) through the tunnel in the arms and legs, and roll it up and put in a bag with powder.(in the shade) Some people have used my suits for up to 3 years – diving every day. For underwear you can use long jhons and a jersey etc. I used a thin surf suit which made it even warmer and not so bulky. The reason I am writing to you, is that I have turned 60 this year.Last week I made a large suit and found that I cant cope anymore as I have a back problem. If you are interested, I will sell my concern for R400,000. This includes: 1.The type of Latex I use 2.The spraygun 3.The method 4.The moulds 5.the stand etc. 6.You can even make a movie while I make a suit for you. 7.The water temp. we dive in, is +- 11 degrees celsius I sell these suits for R1600 for a large and R1400 for a medium. Attached are some photos. I developed these suits because the ones that we bought with zips at the back, did not last longer than 6 months. To replace the zip cost more than my suit. You also had to wait +- 2 months for the repair. Yours sincerely J.H.du Pisani

7. RE: 3 New Ways the U.S. Navy Will Fight Underwater Terrorism
I know we're desperate to find a monolithic "enemy" to replace the Soviet Union and justify obscene arms expenditures, but "Underwater Terrorism?" Please. How much money will we have to borrow from the Chinese to pay for these toys? This stuff will just nudge the US economy an inch closer to implosion.

6. RE: 3 New Ways the U.S. Navy Will Fight Underwater Terrorism
Updated technology is great,but the use of grenades for anti-swimmer charges was common practice for many years utilizing concussion grenades. The use of marine mammals is not a new concept either. As to comment 5, I'm sure the technologies mentioned would not be used haphazardly to where it would oase any threat to civilian divers.

5. RE: 3 New Ways the U.S. Navy Will Fight Underwater Terrorism
As a former commercial diver, I am thinking about the good guys that may be in the water at the same time as the bad guys. Any defensive measures would have to allow for that potential situation.

4. RE: 3 New Ways the U.S. Navy Will Fight Underwater Terrorism
Comment no.1 is the way to go. Why do we continuously insist on maintaining a politically acceptable level of mercy for those attempting to kill and destroy? The only good things about the non-lethal methods above are the opportunity for further interrogation. Keep the dogs at home and Let Loose the SHARKS of War.

3. RE: 3 New Ways the U.S. Navy Will Fight Underwater Terrorism
Official request for information on swimmer/diver defense should be address by the Navy's Anti-Terrorism Afloat (PMS480E2) Program Executive Officer Littoral and Mine Warfare (PEO-LMW) 614 Sicard St, SE (Stop 7003) Washington Navy Yard, DC 20376-7003

2. RE: 3 New Ways the U.S. Navy Will Fight Underwater Terrorism
I appreciate PM's glimpse at anti-terrorist technologies. The Anti-Swimmer Grenade, successfully tested in December 2007 at Naval Surface Warfare Center's Lake Glendora facility in Indiana, was actually designed at Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division in China Lake, CA and uses state-of-the-art missile fuze technology to give warfighters a much safer and more effective weapon against terrorist frogmen. For more details, PM readers are invited to visit www.nawcwd.navy.mil/nawcwd/news/2007/2007-09_anti-swimmer.htm Walter Maurer, ASG Project Manager NAWCWD, China Lake, CA

1. RE: 3 New Ways the U.S. Navy Will Fight Underwater Terrorism
When I was the Training Officer for my old IUW unit 3-2, I used a "duty" shark to get rid of u/w bad guys....It really livened up out shallow water penetration exercises....

Comment Title
Your Name
Email Address
Website	make public
Comment
Please enter the characters shown below:
	Make sure your comment is relevant to the topic discussed. Comments not relevant to the topic will be deleted. Neither you nor Popular Mechanics has the ability to make your e-mail address public. However, we ask that you submit your e-mail address to us just in case we need to contact you. Thank you for your understanding--The Editors.