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UCT 1 Assists Submarine Force

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080906-34
Release Date: 9/6/2008 11:36:00 PM

By Equipment Operator 1st Class Nicholas J. Gegg, 25th Naval Construction Regiment Public Affairs

ANDROS ISLANDS, Bahamas (NNS) -- Underwater Construction Team (UCT) 1, Air Detachment Alfa joined forces with Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center (NFESC) and the civilian salvage ship Motor Vessel (MV) Richard L. Becker in a project to install a new acoustic measurement system at Andros Island, Bahamas, Aug. 29.

The project, key to supporting the U.S. submarine force, replaced the use of a ship-deployed portable acoustic measurement system, which provides measurement and tracking underwater, with a fixed cable array system.

"Stealth is the submarine's most important tactical advantage," said Lt. Li Sung, executive officer of UCT 1. "Force protection and mission success depend on how well the Navy maintains the quality of submarine stealth.

"STAFAC (South Tongue of the Ocean Acoustic Facility) provides specialized, quality assurance services for assessing the stealth of all existing submarine classes, as well as the SSGN class of guided missile submarines," said Sung. "UCT 1's work is essential to maintaining U.S. Navy submarine superiority and advancing undersea warfare."

Air Detachment Alfa combined efforts with other teams to land the ground and trunk cable, starting two miles out at sea and ending at the Mesa Vault on Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center Site 1.

Detachment Alfa divers executed all diving operations during the shore side of the project and also operated on a junction box (J-Box) from MV Becker approximately 90 nautical miles off the coast of Andros Island. Initially used to keep the two cables afloat prior to placement, the dive team removed 500 flotation buoys, each weighing 50 pounds, and ensured both cables sat on the ocean floor, free of any environmental hazards such as coral. Once the cables were in the Mesa Trench and secured, the shore-based crew replaced 300 feet of double armor cable protection with conduit in order to feed the cables into the Mesa Vault for the NFESC engineers.

Back at sea, the J-Box was placed on the sea bottom then anchored with four 750-foot cable tethers stretching from the J-Box toward the tongue of the ocean.

First, UCT 1 divers inspected the J-Box for proper orientation and ensured it was free of any environmental dangers. They then focused their efforts on assisting the service ship retrieval and splicing of the four cable tethers. After completing each splice, the divers inspected the tether, applied cable stoppers to the cable and organized each tether to ensure proper orientation of all four cables.

This project directly supported efforts to ensure the Navy's submarine force maintains its global superiority. The members of UCT 1, Air Detachment Alfa, were instrumental in accomplishing a crucial upgrade to U.S. Navy test and evaluation facilities, thereby enhancing national security.

For more news from Commander, Submarine Force, visit
www.navy.mil/local/sublant/.