Underwater Naval Exploration

Diving scenes exploring shipwrecks, with divers engaged in underwater training and recovery operations in oceanic settings.

diver exploring the wreck of the USS Liberty of the coast of Bali

Diver, tooth rim of gun turret, shipwreck, wreck on sandy bottom, Spanish armoured cruiser Christobal Colon, run aground in naval battle off Santiago de Cuba on 03 July 1898 during the Spanish-American War, Caribbean Sea, Santiago de Cuba, Santiago de Cuba Province, Cuba, West Indies, Caribbean Sea, Central America

170331-N-IP743-0079JINHAE, Republic of Korea (March 31, 2017) Equipment Operator 3rd Class Thomas Dahlke, assigned to Underwater Construction Team (UCT) 2, cuts a piece of steel in a training pool at the Republic of Korea (ROK) Naval Education and Training Command in Jinhae, ROK.

diver inspecting wreckage

AQABA, JORDAN - U.S. Sailors assigned to Commander Task Group (CTG) 56.1 tie gear to be brought out of the water after a dive as part of Exercise Eager Lion 22 at the Royal Jordanian Naval Base, Jordan September 4, 2022. Eager Lion 22 is a multilateral exercise hosted by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, designed to exchange military expertise, and improve interoperability among partner nations, and considered the capstone of a broader U.S. military relationship with the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF). Jordan is one of U.S. Central Commands (USCENTCOM) strongest and most reliable partners in the Levant sub-region.

American fighter plane P47 Thunderbolt wreck from the 2nd World War, underwater photo, Corsica, France, Europe

Divers from Underwater Construction Team 2 (UCT-2) of Port Hueneme, California, wearing Mark 21 surface-supplied diving suits, are ready to go to work on the ocean floor. UCT-2 is repairing underwater cables off the coast of the island. Exact Date Shot Unknown. Base: San Clemente Island State: California(CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A SEAL swimmer ascends from the submerged nuclear-powered submarine USS KAMEHAMEHA (SSN-642) to the surface breathing on a "pony" SCUBA bottle. The SEAL will board the collapsable rigid rubber craft (CRRC) which is already on the surface. Country: Pacific Ocean (POC)

050505-N-3093M-003. Base: USS Philadelphia (SSN 690) Country: Atlantic Ocean (AOC)

Bomb detonated in the wreckage of a warship France

U.S. Coast Guard divers Petty Officer 2nd Class Chuck Fox and Petty Officer 1st Class Brian Lehuede swim during a scientific research mission in support of Operation Deep Freeze in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, Jan. 7, 2024. Operation Deep Freeze is the logistical support provided by the Department of Defense to the National Science Foundation-managed U.S. Antarctic Program.

A firefighter with the Directorate of Emergency Services Fire Department dive team practices an ice rescue scenario Jan. 11, 2023, at a frozen Big Sandy Lake on South Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. Several firefighters with the team took their turn getting in a suit, strapping an air tank and full-face mask, and diving into the depths of Big Sandy Lake under the ice on Fort McCoys South Post. The divers were covering depths of up to 15 feet or more completing several types of rescue scenarios under the guidance of fellow firefighters. Divers took turns going in and out of the same hole that was cut in the ice. Each diver was tethered with a connecting line that included a communications connection. This is an annual requirement for dive team members to maintain their abilities.

A U.S. Marine with 2d Marine Division prepares his pack during an infantry skills test during the Division Leader Assessment Program 4-22 on Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, Sept. 12, 2022. The assessment program provides Marines with learning and mentorship opportunities, which helps train and develop Marines that demonstrate an apex level of lethality, endurance and comprehensive warfighting ability.

A diver swims along the cockpit of a wrecked C-130 cargo plane in the waters of the Red Sea near Aqaba in Jordan.

Diver in shipwreck Umbria, military vehicles, Sudan, Africa, Red Sea, Wingate Reef, Africa

Sunken tank next to Seven Sisters dive site, Aqaba, Jordan, Red Sea, Asia Minor, Aqaba, Asia

A look inside the USS Kittiwake shipwreck, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands.

110726-N-XD935-085PORT ROYAL, Jamaica (July 26, 2011) Able Body Seaman Omar Albury, assigned to the Royal Bahamas Defense Force, maintains positive control of an underwater lift bag during joint diving operations with Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 2. MDSU-2 is participating in Navy Diver-Southern Partnership Station, a multinational partnership engagement designed to increase interoperability and partner nation capacity through diving operations.

Diver and 8-inch twin gun on USS Saratoga, Marshall Islands, Bikini Atoll, Micronesia, Pacific Ocean, Oceania

A B-1B Lancer aircraft assigned to the 7th Bomb Wing, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, receives fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft assigned to the 927th Air Refueling Wing, MacDill AFB, Florida, over the Caribbean Sea, Sept. 7, 2022. The air operations between 12th Air Force and Air Mobility Command were part of a Partner Interoperability Training exercise with Panama and Ecuador to grow capacity, enhance the ability to respond to illegal fishing practices and maintain shared interest in regional security. Multilateral engagements such as this one ensures maximum resource efficiency and enable the consistent training between U.S. Southern Command, component command and partner nations.

A line is rigged to the sail of the submerged nuclear-powered strategic missile submarine USS WOODROW WILSON (SSBN-624) during a Navy Sea-Air-Land (SEAL) team training exercise off the coast of Puerto Rico. SEALS are practicing entering and exiting the submerged vessel.. Country: Atlantic Ocean(AOC)

100125-N-1134L-050PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Jan. 25, 2010) Army Divers Daniel Weber and Josh Palmer, both assigned to the 544th Engineer Dive Team, inspect a damaged pier. Military engineers are conducting salvage and repair operations in the main seaport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti during Operation Unified Response.

Diver on the bow of the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga, Marshall Islands, Bikini Atoll, Micronesia, Pacific Ocean, Oceania

GUANTANAMO BAY (April 23, 2013) Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Wyatt Huggett poses for a portrait while conducting underwater photography training off the coast of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Expeditionary Combat Camera's Underwater Photo Team conducts semi-annual training to hone its divers' specialized skill set and ensure valuable support of Department of Defense activities worldwide.

Guns swivelled outward as if to engage an enemy in the depths as a tank sits silently on the floor of the Red Sea near Aqaba in Jordan.

Micronesia, Palau, Women snorkeling in sea of WWII Japanese aircraft

US Navy MASTER Diver Eric Frank and Diver James Mariano from Mobile Diving Salvage Unit 2 are inside a diving cage being lowered into the water at TWA Flight 800 crash site. US Navy Master Diver Eric Frank and Diver James Mariano from Mobile Diving Salvage Unit 2 are inside a diving cage being lowered into the water at TWA Flight 800 crash site.

110616-N-MA266-129 CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (June 16, 2011) Navy divers from Trident Refit Facility Kings Bay, Ga., enter the Nickajack Lake exhibit at the Tennessee Aquarium for exhibition dives as part of Chattanooga Navy Week, one of 21 Navy Weeks planned across America this year. Navy Weeks are designed to show Americans the investment they have made in their Navy as a Global Force for Good and increase awareness in cities that do not have a significant Navy presence.

Special Forces Operators assigned to 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), surface near Key West, Florida, May 6, 2022. Combat Divers performed a closed-circuit dive to rehearse undersea wartime operations during a three-week dive requalification.

A Special Forces Combat Diver with 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), surfaces off the coast of Key West, Florida, May 5, 2022. Special Forces teams performed an open-circuit dive to probe the Cayman Salvage Master wreck and validate search and recovery skills about 100 feet below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean as part of a three-week dive requalification.

NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY SOUDA BAY, Greece (July 11, 2022) Petty Officer 2nd Class Daniel Scheall, front, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Kendra Rauch, rear, both members of Underwater Construction Team 1 (UCT-1) and assigned to Task Force SIX EIGHT (CTF 68), breach the surface after a 32-minute dive at the Marathi NATO pier complex, in Souda Bay, July 11, 2022. As Seabee divers, UCT-1 underwater construction technicians construct, inspect, and repair waterfront facilities to support Navy and Marine Corps operations around the world. NSA Souda Bay is an operational ashore base that enables U.S., Allied, and Partner nation forces to be where they are needed when they are needed to preserve security and stability in the European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA (May 4, 2015) Sailors assigned to guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) navigate around a sea turtle while aboard a rigid-hull inflatable boat. Ross is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe.

060810-N-5588M-038. Base: USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) Country: Mediterranean Sea (MED)

120821-N-YG591-025NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY, Bahrain (Aug. 21, 2012) A SEABOTIX underwater reconnaissance vehicle places training explosives next to simulated unidentified ordnance during training conducted by Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Units (EODMU) 1, 11 and 12. EODMU-1, 11 and 12 are assigned to Commander, Task Group (CTG) 56.1, which provides mine countermeasures, explosive ordnance disposal, salvage-diving, counter-terrorism, and force protection in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

4191-V111118853

Indonesia, Bali, School of Fusilier (Caesio sp)

110727-N-KB666-379PORT ROYAL, Jamaica (July 27, 2011) Arnulfo Lopez, a diver assigned to the Guatemala navy, conducts a front step entry prior to search operations with Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 2. MDSU-2 is participating in Navy Diver-Southern Partnership Station, a multi-national partnership engagement intended to increase interoperability and partner nation capability through diving operations.

U.S. Army Spc. Brandon Garcia, from Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 249th Infantry Regiment (Light), Guam Army National Guard, launches a simulated attack against Djiboutian army soldiers during Operation Able Dart 08-01 on Forward Operating Location Ali Sabieh, Djibouti, March 4, 2008. The Soldiers are teaching counterterrorism tactics to Djiboutian army soldiers during the 10-week Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa mission.

Dual Dry Deck Shelters, with the nine foot diameter outer hangar doors open, are mounted to the deck of the former ballistic missile submarine USS Kamehameha

Schooling Fusiliers

050905-N-5345W-032. Base: USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75)

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (May 27, 2015) Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus presents an award to Gunnery Sgt. Bo Irving, a Marine Corps combatant diver course instructor, in the aquatic training facility at Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center. NDSTC is the largest diving training facility in the world and is home of the military diver.

Air defence gun on destroyer USS Lamson, Marshall Islands, Bikini Atoll, Micronesia, Pacific, Oceania

Diver on a 12-inch gun from the USS Arkansas, Marshall Islands, Bikini Atoll, Micronesia, Pacific Ocean, Oceania

A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft assigned to the 335th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron conducts aerial refueling operations in the U.S. Air Forces Central area of responsibility July 22, 2022. The 335th EFS delivers airpower and showcases U.S. commitment to deterrence and regional stability.

Diver at the shipwreck of the German transport vessel "Salzburg" in which 2300 Soviet prisoners died, Black Sea, Ukraine, Europe

Hawaii, Oahu, Pearl Harbor, over/under shot of Arizona Memorial.

American tank M42 Duster with self-propelled 40mm anti-tircraft gun, wreck, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Red Sea, Western Asia

8-inch twin gun on USS Saratoga, Marshall Islands, Bikini Atoll, Micronesia, Pacific Ocean, Oceania

110210-N-1810F-148JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Feb. 10, 2011) A naval aviator swims to the surface after exiting the 9D6 dunker during a training exercise at the Aviation Survival Training Center (ASTC) at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. The device simulates an aircraft water landing. The ASTC provides courses for naval aircrew personnel and operates under the aegis of Navy Medicine Support Command.

4191-V111115485

Micronesia Truk Lagoon Japanese wreck II world war

U.S. Army Paratroopers assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade, swim under a parachute in the Vicenza swimming pool, Italy, April 12, 2023. This exercise is part of deliberate water airborne operation familiarization training before an upcoming jump at Lake Garda, Italy. The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army Contingency Response Force in Europe, capable of projecting ready forces anywhere in the U.S. European, Africa or Central Commands' areas of responsibility.

Military members from Naval Special Warfare Group Eight display the national ensign as they perform dive operations while underway on a Virginia Class fast-attack submarine USS New Mexico (SSN 778). Naval Special Warfare organizes, mans, trains, equips, deploys, sustains, and provides command and control of NAVSPECWAR forces to conduct full spectrum undersea special operations and activities worldwide in support of Geographic Combatant Commands and national interests.

Diver exploring the SS Empire Heritage shipwreck.

A reservist diver from Mobile Diving Salvage Unit 1 makes a dive at the USS ARIZONA Memorial site. Salvage Unit 1 is participating in the joint Navy/Park Service project SeaMark, a surveying and charting effort to assess submerged cultural resources in the Pacific. Base: Pearl Harbor State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Army Soldier, assigned to 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), participates in Wet Silk Training at Iron Horse Physical Fitness Center on Fort Carson, Colorado, Sept.6, 2019. The training is designed to strength Special Forces as well as enablers during an Airborne water jump.

Diver exploring the SS Empire Heritage shipwreck.

American tank M42 Duster with self-propelled 40mm anti-tircraft gun, wreck, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Red Sea, Western Asia

US Navy Boatswains Mate 1ST Class Mark Thomas stationed on board the US Navys salvage ship USS GRASP (ARS 51) (faces camera) while his dive partner US Navy Quarter MASTER 1ST Class Cass Schussler stationed with Mobile Diving Salvage Unit Two, Little Creek, Virginia, prepare for yet another night dive. They will ride the "stage" off the side of the Grasp during their midnight-to noon shift, down to the ocean floor 116 feet below, wearing 1/4" wet suits to combat the cold temperatures during their 50 - 60 minute dive. The red and green jackets covering their "umbilical" identify them as "red diver" and "green diver" for all communications with the master-diver, and also protects the .... Complete Scene Caption: US Navy Boatswains Mate 1st Class Mark Thomas stationed on board the US Navys salvage ship USS GRASP (ARS 51) (faces camera) while his dive partner US Navy Quarter Master 1st Class Cass Schussler stationed with Mobile Diving Salvage Unit Two, Little Creek, Virginia, prepare for

A firefighter with the Directorate of Emergency Services Fire Department dive team practices an ice rescue scenario Jan. 11, 2023, at a frozen Big Sandy Lake on South Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. Several firefighters with the team took their turn getting in a suit, strapping an air tank and full-face mask, and diving into the depths of Big Sandy Lake under the ice on Fort McCoys South Post. The divers were covering depths of up to 15 feet or more completing several types of rescue scenarios under the guidance of fellow firefighters. Divers took turns going in and out of the same hole that was cut in the ice. Each diver was tethered with a connecting line that included a communications connection. This is an annual requirement for dive team members to maintain their abilities.

040316-M-5455N-004. Base: Mcas, Cherry Point State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: 2D MAW

Anchor buoy and diver on the bow of the USS Saratoga, Marshall Islands, Bikini Atoll, Micronesia, Pacific Ocean, Oceania

School of Blue and gold Fusiliers South Africa Indian Ocean

DN-SD-03-12730. Country: Pacific Ocean (POC) Scene Major Command Shown: CINCPACFLT

Commemorative plaque to naval battle in the Spanish-American War with the inscription: A los marinos caidos en combate 3de Julio, for the sailors killed on 3 July 1898, Republica Cuba98, Caribbean Sea, Santiago de Cuba, Province of Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, West Indies, Caribbean Sea, Central America

110502-N-CI293-071DENVER (May 2, 2011) Mermaids swim with Navy Diver 1st Class Bryce Weber, assigned to San Diego-based Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 1, at the Denver Aquarium during Denver Navy Week. Denver Navy Week is one of 21 Navy Weeks planned across America in 2011. Navy Weeks are designed to showcase the investment Americans have made in their Navy and increase awareness in cities that do not have a significant Navy presence.

020706-N-7479T-003. Country: Atlantic Ocean (AOC) Scene Major Command Shown: MDSU-2

San Pedro, Calif. (May 29, 2022) - Navy Diver 2nd Class Kaiden Silva, assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Three, plays tic-tac-toe with Sebastian Medina from inside his dive tank as part of a Make-A-Wish visit during (LAFW) in San Pedro, Calif., May 29, 2022. LAFW is an opportunity for the American public to meet their Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard teams and experience America's sea services. During fleet week, service members participate in various community service events, showcase capabilities and equipment to the community, and enjoy the hospitality of Los Angeles and its surrounding areas. (U.S. Navy video by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class David Negron)

220715-O-QR492-1006-CA PACIFIC OCEAN (July 15, 2022) A surface offboard passive decoy (SOPD) is fired from Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Vancouver (FFH 331) in support of Technical Cooperation Program Anti-Ship Threat Project Arrangement (TAPA) during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022, July 15. Twenty-six nations, 38 surface ships, four submarines, nine national land forces, more than 30 unmanned systems, approximately 170 aircraft and more than 25,000 personnel will train and operate in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California, June 29 to Aug. 4. The worlds largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the worlds oceans. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (Royal Canadian Navy photo by Sgt Ghislain Cotton)

220706-N-FK450-5005-MX PEARL HARBOR (July 6, 2022) - Mexican Navy divers pose with Mexico national flag during dive training during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022. Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, four submarines, more than 170 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 29 to Aug. 4 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (Mexican Navy photo by Lt. j.g. Claudia Figueroa Ballesteros)

070308-N-1280S-001. Base: Pearl Harbor State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

San Pedro, Calif. (May 27, 2022) Navy Diver 2nd Class Chase Marini, from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 3, interacts with the public during Fleet Week Los Angeles. LAFW is an opportunity for the American public to meet their Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard teams and experience America's sea services. During fleet week, service members participate in various community service events, showcase capabilities and equipment to the community, and enjoy the hospitality of Los Angeles and its surrounding areas.

of 4