Massive U.S. Navy Special-Ops Submarine USS Georgia Spotted in Gibraltar | WATCH
The U.S. Navy’s USS Georgia (SSGN-729) surfaced in the Bay of Gibraltar yesterday for a critical personnel transfer. Captured by local ship spotters, the Ohio-class guided-missile submarine was seen equipped with a Dry Deck Shelter for elite Navy SEAL deployments.
Ship spotters captured clear images and video of the U.S. Navy’s USS Georgia (SSGN-729), an Ohio-class guided-missile submarine, surfacing yesterday in the Bay of Gibraltar while conducting a personnel transfer.
The massive submarine was visibly fitted with a Dry Deck Shelter (DDS), a pressurized, hangar-like module mounted on the hull that connects to modified missile-tube lockout chambers. The DDS allows Navy SEAL teams and other special operations forces to deploy and recover underwater using swimmer delivery vehicles (SDVs), diving gear, or mini-subs without the submarine fully surfacing or exposing its crew.
The operation was escorted by the Royal Navy’s HMS Cutlass (Gibraltar Squadron).
This type of at-sea transfer is a standard procedure for maintaining operational tempo during long deployments while keeping special forces and crew movements discreet. Ohio-class SSGNs like the USS Georgia are among the most powerful conventional strike platforms in the U.S. fleet. They can carry up to 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles in addition to supporting special operations missions worldwide.
Photos and video of the rare public sighting, taken by local spotters including @PeterFerrary and shared by @WarshipCam, have spread rapidly across social media.