Yes, Navy SEALs Actually Have “Jet Boots”

Updated Jul 2, 2020 3:16 PM EDT

Navy SEALs and weapons super-tech go hand in hand. Naval Special Warfare Command spends big bucks leveraging emerging technologies and testing for real operations. Occassionally, the tech is deployed to the now legendary Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU), more popularly known as SEAL Team Six.

Much of the time these technologies live in a semi-classified state, wherein they obviously exist but are not disclosed or publicized as being operational kit for particular combat units . The quad-tube panoramic night vision goggles used during the Osama Bin Laden raid is one of many examples of such a technology. Eventually, these capabilities can make their way down to mainline SEAL teams. That seems to be the case for Patriot3’s Jetboots.

Frogmen wearing jetboots hit the beach., Patriot3

The idea is very straightforward: attach thrusters to a frogman’s legs, allowing him to move quickly through the water with little effort, change direction in an instant just by moving his head and torso. For decades, the main obstacle to this sort of gear was the battery technology and material science really wasn’t there. That is, until Patriot3 attacked the problem.

The result of their hard work? The Jetboots Diver Propulsion System. The coolest thing about Jetboots is they allow the diver to go about their underwater business leaving their hands free to navigate, prep weapons, manipulate underwater objects, plant explosives and just be more prepared for the unexpected.

Jetboots have the ability to fulfil an intermediate gap between riding in a mini-sub/swimmer delivery vehicle and swimming to a target under a swimmer’s own power, all without the need for a cumbersome diver propulsion vehicle . Because the diver doesn’t have to swim for miles to the target area unaided they can save their energy for critical tasks performed once at their destination.

Special operators wearing Jetboots on land. , Patriot3

To extend the system’s underwater range, lithium-ion battery packs can be switched out while underway. We talked to Patriot3, which said its boots can push the diver to a speed of about four knots, which is impressive, although battery life is much better conserved when operating at “swimmer” speed, or around one knot. A recent test mission saw a pair of divers equipped with Jetboots traverse a dozen miles on just two battery packs each.

The Jetboots systems and the control unit in detail., Patriot3

Although Patriot3 could not disclose which combat units use Jetboots, it says more than 600 systems have been deployed around the globe and that US Special Operations Command is a customer.

Divers that are part of the the vaunted COMSUBIN train with their Jetboots Diver Propulsion Systems., Italian Navy

Clearly, the US Naval Special Warfare Command has these in inventory. You can see the government contracts for providing support and training their Jetboot inventory here and here , and US Army Special Operations Command seems to also be a user of the technology. There is even this awesome video of a badass disabled guy testing out a set of Navy SEAL-provided Jetboots.

The thing is that these things have many potential applications outside of the special operations community, including for ship repair, construction and salvage divers, for environmental research and for search and rescue operations to name a few.

And, let’s be honest, they look ridiculously fun.

The civilian market would likely have a demand for these although the price tag of $33,900 puts them outside of economical reach for the vast majority of sport divers. Patriot3 told The War Zone that they are working on developing a civilian model that will cost just a fraction of the price of the full-up militarized version, around a couple thousand dollars. Considering they allow the user to fly through the water like a fish while keeping their hands free to manipulate the world around them, that doesn’t seem like an unreasonable price tag at all.

Contact the author Tyler@thedrive.com

A diver with a rebreather system wearing Jetboots., Patriot3

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更新于美国东部时间2020年7月2日下午3:16

海豹突击队与尖端武器技术密不可分。海军特种作战司令部斥巨资研发新兴技术，并进行实战测试。这些技术有时会部署到如今已成为传奇的海军特种作战发展大队（DEVGRU），也就是更为人熟知的海豹六队。

这些技术大多处于半保密状态，它们显然存在，但并未公开或作为特定作战部队的作战装备对外公布。在击毙本·拉登行动中使用的四管全景夜视镜就是此类技术的众多例证之一。最终，这些能力可能会普及到海豹突击队的主力部队。Patriot3公司的喷气靴似乎就是这种情况。

穿着喷气靴的蛙人登陆海滩。（Patriot3）

这个想法非常简单：在蛙人的腿上安装推进器，使他们能够毫不费力地在水中快速移动，只需移动头部和躯干即可瞬间改变方向。几十年来，这类装备的主要障碍在于电池技术和材料科学的不足。直到 Patriot3 公司着手解决这个问题。

他们辛勤努力的成果是什么？就是喷气式潜水推进系统。喷气式潜水推进系统最酷的地方在于，它能让潜水员在水下自由活动，解放双手，从而更好地进行导航、准备武器、操作水下物体、安放炸药，以及应对各种突发情况。

喷气靴能够弥补乘坐小型潜艇/潜水员运输载具和依靠自身力量游向目标之间的过渡，而且无需笨重的潜水推进器。由于潜水员无需独自游过数英里到达目标区域，他们可以将精力节省下来，用于到达目的地后执行关键任务。

特种作战人员穿着喷气靴在陆地上作战。，Patriot3

为了延长系统的水下续航里程，可以在航行过程中更换锂离子电池组。我们采访了Patriot3公司，该公司表示，其水下推进靴可以将潜水员推进到约4节的速度，这令人印象深刻。不过，以“游泳”速度（约1节）航行时，电池续航时间会大大延长。最近的一次测试任务中，两名配备喷气式水下推进靴的潜水员仅用两块电池就航行了12英里。

喷气靴系统和控制单元的详细信息，Patriot3

尽管 Patriot3 无法透露哪些作战部队使用喷气靴，但该公司表示，全球已部署了 600 多套系统，美国特种作战司令部也是其客户之一。

隶属于意大利海军著名的COMSUBIN潜水艇队的潜水员们，配备了喷气式潜水推进系统。

显然，美国海军特种作战司令部已经装备了这些装备。你可以在这里和这里看到政府为他们的喷气靴库存提供支持和培训的合同，而美国陆军特种作战司令部似乎也在使用这项技术。甚至还有一段很棒的视频，一位身残志坚的硬汉正在测试一套由海豹突击队提供的喷气靴。

事实上，这些东西在特种作战领域之外也有许多潜在的应用，例如船舶修理、建筑和打捞潜水员、环境研究以及搜救行动等等。

说实话，它们看起来真的超级好玩。

虽然33,900美元的售价令绝大多数运动潜水员望而却步，但民用市场很可能对这些产品有需求。Patriot3公司告诉《战区》杂志，他们正在研发一款民用型号，价格仅为全套军用版本的几分之一，大约几千美元。考虑到这款产品可以让使用者像鱼儿一样在水中自由穿梭，同时还能解放双手操控周围环境，这个价格似乎并不算离谱。

联系作者：Tyler@thedrive.com

一名穿着喷气式潜水靴、配备循环呼吸器的潜水员，Patriot3

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