[Defense Column] This Is the US Special Forces Submarine

[Kim Daeyoung, Military Analyst] On October 7 (local time), the U.S. Navy released a statement announcing that the USS Connecticut, a Seawolf-class attack submarine on a mission, collided with an unidentified object while submerged in international waters of the Indo-Pacific on the afternoon of the 2nd. The incident escalated significantly after it was revealed that the USS Connecticut had been operating in the South China Sea, where tensions between the United States and China are intensifying.

In particular, China strongly criticized the U.S. during a press conference held by Defense Ministry spokesperson Tan Ke-fei (Tan Ke-fei). According to the U.S. Navy’s accident investigation, the USS Connecticut collided with an uncharted underwater mountain range. Additionally, three personnel including the submarine’s captain and executive officer were relieved of their duties due to loss of trust. Rear Admiral Karl Thomas, commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet, stated that the accident could have been prevented with reasonable judgment, careful decision-making, and adherence to procedures. So, what kind of operation was the USS Connecticut conducting in the South China Sea that led to this collision?

The USS Connecticut involved in the accident belongs to DEVRON 5, a special unit within the U.S. Navy’s submarine forces. DEVRON 5, short for “Submarine Development Squadron 5,” operates three Seawolf-class attack submarines including the USS Connecticut and also manages unmanned underwater vehicle squadrons. Based at the U.S. Navy submarine base in Bangor, Washington, DEVRON 5 was established in 1967 with its primary mission being submarine rescue operations using the Deep-Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV).

In addition, DEVRON 5 has conducted covert submarine missions under the guise of deep-sea scientific exploration. Notably, two specialized submarines were assigned to DEVRON 5 for these missions. First, the USS Dolphin, the U.S. Navy’s last diesel-electric submarine active from 1968 to 2007, was specially modified to achieve a maximum diving depth of over 900 meters. It was equipped with Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and various reconnaissance equipment. For reference, the maximum diving depth of South Korea’s 209-class (Jangbogo-class) submarines is known to be 500 meters.

The USS Parche, a converted attack submarine, carried out missions during the Cold War to locate and tap Soviet underwater communication cables. The Parche covertly infiltrated the Barents Sea, considered the Soviet Union’s backyard, from San Francisco to install wiretaps on underwater cables, successfully conducting surveillance operations until 1992. Commissioned in 1974, the Parche carried out numerous classified missions across various seas and was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. After its decommissioning in 2007, the Seawolf-class attack submarines took over its missions.

Especially, the last Seawolf-class attack submarine, the USS Jimmy Carter, was newly designed as a multi-mission platform to operate remotely operated underwater vehicles, resulting in a 33-meter extension of its hull. It was also equipped with new advanced equipment, bringing its construction cost to a staggering $3.7 billion (4.2698 trillion KRW). Therefore, the recent accident involving the USS Connecticut is also presumed to be related to secret special operations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.