SEALs and Submarines Join Forces: Inside an Elite Navy Training Operation

Strengthening Maritime Dominance: Subs and SEALs Unite in High-Stakes Training

During the last week of June, while many of us were at home enjoying cookouts and a brew or two as we prepped for the Fourth of July weekend, the United States Navy has hard at it off the coast of Southern California, conducting fleet interoperability training.

Naval Special Warfare (NSW) operators from a West Coast SEAL Team and sailors from the fast-attack Los Angeles Class submarine USS Greeneville (SSN 772) worked together on this exercise. The Greeneville is part of Commander Submarine Squadron 11 (CSS-11), which is home to five Los Angeles-class subs.  These underwater wonders support numerous missions such as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), anti-ship warfare, strike warfare, and anti-sub warfare.

The Goal of the exercise, as articulated by the Navy, was “increasing warfighting capabilities in the maritime domain.”

Why Maritime Superiority Matters in Today’s Global Landscape

Reading this led me to ponder the question: “Why might we want to increase our warfighting capabilities in the maritime domain?”

Well, here is my take on that: The U.S. Navy is focused on increasing warfighter capabilities in the maritime domain due to evolving global threats and the need to maintain maritime dominance. One of the primary drivers is the rise of China as a significant maritime power. China’s rapid naval expansion and its strategic initiatives in regions like the Indo-Pacific present a challenge to the U.S. Navy’s longstanding command of the sea. To counter this, the Navy invests in new technologies, enhances fleet capabilities, and expands its operational readiness to deter potential aggression and ensure it can decisively win in any conflict.

Moreover, the strategic environment has shifted significantly, with threats from both China and Russia, necessitating the Navy to rethink its approach to warfighting. They are increasingly focused on developing advanced capabilities, including unmanned systems (drones), artificial intelligence, and enhanced information warfare, to stay ahead of adversaries. This push includes enhancing maritime domain awareness through tools like SeaVision, which facilitates better coordination and intelligence sharing with global partners.

Regarding the training, Captain Kenneth Douglas, Commander of Submarine Squadron 11, stated:

“This training opportunity provided the submarine warfighters aboard USS Greeneville the opportunity to practice a unique capability. Expanding joint interoperability capabilities effectively demonstrates our asymmetric advantage on and under the world’s oceans and I look forward to continued training events with our Naval Special Warfare operators.”

The SEALs parachuted in, bringing a combat rubber raiding craft (CRRC) with them. They inflated the craft and set out to meet the Greeneville at a predetermined location. Following that, they returned to shore. Sounds fairly simple, right? Not so much. But men like these SEALs make it look easy. It takes years of training and tons of grit to get to they level of performance they have today.

Commander of Naval Special Warfare Group ONE, Blake L. Chaney, spoke out and said:

“This training opportunity provided the submarine warfighters aboard USS Greeneville the opportunity to practice a unique capability. Expanding joint interoperability capabilities effectively demonstrates our asymmetric advantage on and under the world’s oceans, and I look forward to continued training events with our Naval Special Warfare operators. Undertaking an operation of this caliber highlights the indispensable role that NSW and the submarine force play within the joint force, By synchronizing our operations, activities and investments, we not only bolster fleet lethality but also provide substantial value in securing access to either denied or contested areas.”

In today’s world, threats from Russia and China continue to grow, with China being the more likely immediate adversary. Our armed forces must continue to hone their considerable skills in all areas to keep pace with any potential aggression against the United States or our allies. This is achieved, in part, by conducting rigorous training exercises like the one outlined above, which was carried out by some of our most elite warriors.

Note: Source material for this article was provided by the US Indo-Pacific Command. All images are from the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS).

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Disclaimer: SOFREP utilizes AI for image generation and article research. Occasionally, it’s like handing a chimpanzee the keys to your liquor cabinet. It’s not always perfect and if a mistake is made, we own up to it full stop. In a world where information comes at us in tidal waves, it is an important tool that helps us sift through the brass for live rounds.