In the depths of the ocean, America's ballistic missile submarines operate with a significant degree of invulnerability. However, when stationed in port or navigating on the surface during transit, these formidable vessels become susceptible to various threats, including drones, mines, and anti-tank rockets.
This scenario has transitioned from the realm of fiction to a tangible concern. Last year, Ukraine reported that it successfully employed an underwater drone to inflict damage on a Russian submarine in the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. Additionally, insurgents could exploit waterways to ambush submarines using anti-tank guided missiles or portable rocket launchers.
In response to these emerging threats, the U.S. Navy is actively exploring enhanced protective measures for its missile submarines and the shore facilities that support them.
According to a recent Sources Sought announcement, the Navy is seeking “prototype technologies to detect, track, identify, deny, and defeat unmanned systems across all domains.” This initiative aims to find scalable solutions suitable for shore installations and operations in Port, Harbor, Littoral, and Waterways (PHLW), as well as in open ocean environments.
Furthermore, the Navy is investigating ways to escort and safeguard its missile submarines as they transition to and from port. The objective is to “ensure the zero-failure secure movement of strategic maritime assets.” The announcement outlines a need for advanced maritime situational awareness, enhanced physical security for escorting nuclear missile submarines (SSBNs), and improved capabilities for detecting and mitigating maritime mines, as well as countering direct-fire threats, such as shore-launched anti-tank guided missiles and rocket-propelled grenades during transit.
The risk posed by anti-tank weapons is not confined to submarines alone; it extends to truck convoys transporting intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) to submarine bases. To address this, the Navy is looking into active protection systems, which include sensors and shotgun-like launchers affixed to armored vehicles designed to neutralize incoming anti-tank rockets, specifically for ground transport and convoy operations involving strategic weaponry and equipment.
