The Future of Naval Warfare Will Have a Lot More Spy Submarines

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated Jul 5, 2020 7:04 PM EDT

As the threat of advanced air and coastal defense networks increases, especially with regards to the rapid spread of long-range and fast-flying surface-to-air and anti-ship cruise missiles, the innate intelligence collecting qualities of submarines are likely to become even more important. At least one defense company seems poised to capitalize on this potential trend.

German firm PLATH , which builds radio direction finding gear and communications intelligence (COMINT) and signals intelligence (SIGINT) equipment, has been steadily working to expand its product line to include systems intended for subs. In an interview with Shephard Media in May 2017, Torsten Düsing, who acts as both the company’s technical marketing manager and business case manager for naval solutions, specifically highlighted the spying potential of underwater vessels.

PLATH’s particular system, which it unveiled in November 2016, “provides tactically relevant information with minimal mast exposure, listening for communications signals from [anti-submarine warfare] aircraft” when the boat is in danger, Düsing explained. “When not under ASW threat, the task involves building operational intelligence and fundamental knowledge by collecting, recording and direction finding signals.”

Effectively the equipment performs an important defensive electronic counter-measures function, helping crew hide the submarine from enemy forces, as well as acting as a general intelligence gathering tool. PLATH’s complete system includes software package to analyze the signals the sensors receive. It can use the information to map out “emitters” such as radio transmitters, radars, or other electronic systems to give the sailors a better understanding of their surroundings and potential threats. Garnering this electronic order of battle on the fly could also be valuable for building a broad picture of an enemy coastline in preparation for larger operations or for gathering strategic intelligence, such as flight data telemetry from missile tests.

The sail of the USS Annapolis pokes through the ice during an exercise in 2009. One of the masts may have the Radiant Gemstone antenna., USN

“The geographic focus is on urbanized littorals in crisis regions, harbors, shipping routes and military test, training and maneuver areas,” Düsing noted. “The need to establish a line of sight to adversary tactical [very high frequency] sources between 30 and 88 MHz and at the lower end of the [ultra high frequency] band means that only submarines can get close enough.”

Of course, depending on the relative strength of the equipment, this need for a “line of sight” to the target could be a serious issue, even for a submarine. In addition, while PLATH’s system can start to work below the surface, but only actually begins to scan and collect information when the boat reaches periscope depth and raises its appropriate antennas, according to Shephard . The system’s relatively small size – at least according to the German defense contractor – and ability to use existing antennas already on a sub might make up for these limitations. Combining the gear with underwater drones or sub-launched unmanned aerial vehicles, either as antennas, signal relays, or both, could help extend its overall range.

Regardless, Düsing isn’t wrong about navies recognizing the value of having such equipment on submarines, as well as their inherent abilities to sneak in and out of sensitive areas without detection. The basic idea of a radio direction finding and SIGINT kit for sub-surface vessels is probably old news to many larger naval forces around the world. The United States in particular is a pretty prolific operator of spy subs, even if it hasn’t officially acknowledged it as of yet.

USS Jimmy Carter., USN

As of 2017, the U.S. Navy had at least one dedicated spy submarine, the USS Jimmy Carter , also known as SSN-23. The third and last Seawolf -class nuclear attack submarine, SSN-23 has a unique 100-foot-long, 2,500-ton “Multi-Mission Platform” addition to its hull, as well as small, auxiliary devices for precision maneuvering. The boat is so secretive that an annual history of the ship’s goings on during 2013, which the author obtained via the Freedom of Information Act, only described its main activity as “ Mission 7 .” But this duty was important enough to earn the sub a Presidential Unit Citation, which rewards “extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy.”

Though the service is especially tight-lipped about Jimmy Carter and what she does when she goes out to sea, it has publicly acknowledged that this section can house underwater drones, SEAL special operations divers, and more. It is widely believed this section contained equipment necessary to tap undersea communications cables, a mission that other spy subs, such as the USS Parche , reportedly performed during the Cold War.

An official schematic of the unique modifications to USS Jimmy Carter., USN

But the Navy has also given other submarines SIGINT gear that seems much more in line with what PLATH is now offering. In 2015, Phase Zero, a now defunct section of Gawker Media, published a detailed breakdown of how the National Security Agency (NSA) employed Los Angeles -class nuclear attack submarines to scoop up cell phone signals and other communications chatter, based on documents obtained via former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden. Like the equipment Düsing described to Shephard Media, these modified boats could use their new gear to both track signals for intelligence purposes or spot incoming threats, according to a separate briefing that Phase Zero located from Pennsylvania State University Applied Research Laboratory.

After receiving the data via satellite, NSA would run it all through a software fusion program codenamed BLINDDATE. As of 2008, at least two Los Angeles boats, the USS Annapolis and USS Montpelier , had the requisite antennas and collection gear, which the Navy nicknamed Radiant Gemstone. A cursory Google Search turns up Navy budget requests for additional Radiant Gemstone equipment in 2009 and 2010, as well as information on an associated naval data link and fusion system called Radiant Mercury (RADMERC).

“The RADMERC program facilitates sharing of critical information across security domains and among allied, coalition and inter-agency partners,” according to an official list of the Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command’s (SPAWAR) programs. “The Radiant Mercury product provides cross-domain information sharing capabilities from Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) to General Service (GENSER) and GENSER to Unclassified.”

Penn State University via Phase Zero

The Russians have had a number of spy submarines similar to the Jimmy Carter , including the shadowy Project 10831 Losharik , but there is little publicly available information on their exact designs and capabilities. Given Russia’s fondness for electronic warfare , it seems likely that the Kremlin’s more conventional submarines have at least some system that can perform basic electronic intelligence functions. As of May 2017, Moscow had reportedly ordered work on a new, massive “research” submarine . If PLATH’s system is as small and easy to install as they claim, it’s entirely possible that other navies with advanced submarine forces, such as China , Israel , Japan , South Korea , Sweden , and the United Kingdom , already have similar equipment.

However, the company’s add-on kit, or something close to it, would be ideal for smaller navies on tighter budgets. It could readily turn even older or compact submarines into covert spies, giving them renewed life and making them able to spy on ports or other coastal points of interest that might be otherwise off limits to those countries. Beyond submarines of some description, the only other way to get a line-of-sight SIGINT setup into these sensitive regions without immediate detection would be with an advanced, high-flying or stealthy spy plane or drone . Few countries have the resources to operate those kind of systems.

The Russian Oscar -class submarine Orel ., Andrei Luzik via Wikimedia

Of course, if submarine spies become any more common, it’s equally likely that military forces around the world will simply respond by developing even more new and improved anti-submarine defenses. China is already reportedly building an underwater sensor network that might be able to detect underwater craft trying move discreetly through the contested South China Sea and East Seas. In turn, navies are working on quieter and otherwise stealthier submarines . It’s a long-standing game of undersea cat-and-mouse.

What seems clear, both from PLATH’s new developments and existing systems, is that the submarine as an intelligence tool is an idea that can only gain more traction as time goes on, even with smaller navies.

Contact the author: joe@thedrive.com

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作者：约瑟夫·特雷维西克

更新于美国东部时间2020年7月5日晚上7:04

随着先进防空和防岸网络威胁的日益加剧，特别是远程高速地对空导弹和反舰巡航导弹的迅速普及，潜艇固有的情报收集能力可能会变得更加重要。至少有一家国防公司似乎已准备好利用这一潜在趋势。

德国PLATH公司是一家生产无线电测向设备、通信情报（COMINT）和信号情报（SIGINT）设备的厂商，该公司一直在稳步拓展产品线，以涵盖潜艇专用系统。2017年5月，PLATH公司技术营销经理兼海军解决方案业务案例经理托斯滕·杜辛在接受Shephard Media采访时，特别强调了水下舰艇的间谍潜力。

PLATH公司于2016年11月推出的这套系统，正如杜辛解释的那样，能够在舰艇处于危险之中时，“以最小的桅杆暴露面积提供战术相关信息，监听来自反潜飞机的通信信号”。“在没有反潜威胁的情况下，该系统的任务是通过收集、记录和测向信号来构建作战情报和基础知识。”

该设备实际上发挥着重要的防御性电子对抗作用，帮助艇员隐藏潜艇，使其免受敌军侦察，同时也是一种通用的情报收集工具。PLATH 的完整系统包含一套软件，用于分析传感器接收到的信号。它可以利用这些信息绘制出“发射器”的分布图，例如无线电发射器、雷达或其他电子系统，从而使艇员更好地了解周围环境和潜在威胁。实时获取这种电子作战态势对于构建敌方海岸线的整体态势图也至关重要，可为更大规模的作战行动做好准备，或用于收集战略情报，例如导弹试验的飞行数据遥测信息。

2009年，在一次演习中，“安纳波利斯”号两栖攻击舰的指挥塔从冰层中探出。其中一根桅杆上可能装有“光辉宝石”天线。（美国海军）

杜辛指出：“地理重点是危机地区的城市化沿海地带、港口、航道以及军事试验、训练和演习区域。由于需要在30至88兆赫兹以及超高频频段的低端建立与敌方战术[甚高频]源的视线连接，因此只有潜艇才能足够接近。”

当然，根据设备的相对性能，即使对于潜艇而言，这种对目标的“视线”需求也可能是一个严重的问题。此外，据谢泼德称，PLATH 的系统虽然可以在水下开始工作，但只有当潜艇达到潜望镜深度并升起相应的天线时，才能真正开始扫描和收集信息。该系统尺寸相对较小（至少据这家德国国防承包商称），并且能够利用潜艇上已有的天线，这或许可以弥补这些局限性。将该设备与水下无人机或潜射无人机结合使用，作为天线、信号中继或​​两者兼具，有助于扩大其整体探测范围。

无论如何，杜辛关于各国海军认识到潜艇配备此类设备的价值，以及潜艇能够悄无声息地进出敏感区域的观点并没有错。对于世界许多大型海军来说，水下舰艇配备无线电测向和信号情报设备的基本概念可能早已不是什么新鲜事。尤其是美国，尽管尚未正式承认，但它却是间谍潜艇的活跃使用者。

美国海军“吉米·卡特”号航空母舰

截至2017年，美国海军至少拥有一艘专用间谍潜艇——“吉米·卡特”号（USS Jimmy Carter），又称SSN-23。作为第三艘也是最后一艘“海狼”级核动力攻击潜艇，SSN-23的艇体上加装了一个独特的100英尺长、2500吨重的“多任务平台”，以及用于精确机动的小型辅助设备。这艘潜艇极其神秘，以至于作者通过《信息自由法》获得的一份2013年年度舰艇活动记录中，仅将其主要活动描述为“第七项任务”。但这项任务的重要性足以让该潜艇获得总统部队嘉奖，该奖项旨在表彰“在对抗武装敌人的行动中表现出的非凡英勇”。

尽管海军对“吉米·卡特”号潜艇及其出海活动讳莫如深，但已公开承认该区域可容纳水下无人机、海豹突击队特种作战潜水员等。人们普遍认为，该区域曾存放窃听海底通信电缆所需的设备，据报道，其他间谍潜艇，例如“帕切”号，在冷战期间就执行过此类任务。

美国海军“吉米·卡特”号航空母舰独特改装的官方示意图。

但海军也为其他潜艇配备了信号情报设备，这些设备似乎与PLATH目前提供的设备更为相似。2015年，Gawker Media旗下现已关闭的Phase Zero网站曾发布一份详细的报告，揭露了美国国家安全局（NSA）如何利用洛杉矶级核动力攻击潜艇窃听手机信号和其他通信数据。该报告基于前情报承包商爱德华·斯诺登泄露的文件。根据Phase Zero从宾夕法尼亚州立大学应用研究实验室获得的另一份简报，与杜辛向Shephard Media描述的设备类似，这些改装后的潜艇可以利用新设备追踪信号以进行情报收集，或发现来袭威胁。

美国国家安全局（NSA）通过卫星接收数据后，会将其输入代号为“盲点”（BLINDDATE）的软件融合程序进行处理。截至2008年，至少有两艘洛杉矶的舰艇——“安纳波利斯”号和“蒙彼利埃”号——配备了必要的接收天线和数据采集设备，海军将其昵称为“光辉宝石”（Radiant Gemstone）。简单的谷歌搜索显示，海军在2009年和2010年曾申请预算增购“光辉宝石”设备，此外还提到了一个名为“光辉水星”（Radiant Mercury，简称RADMERC）的相关海军数据链和融合系统。

根据海军太空与海战系统司令部（SPAWAR）的官方项目清单，“RADMERC项目旨在促进跨安全领域以及盟军、联盟和跨部门合作伙伴之间关键信息的共享。” “Radiant Mercury产品提供从绝密/敏感信息隔离（TS/SCI）到通用信息隔离（GENSER），以及从通用信息隔离到非密信息的跨领域信息共享能力。”

宾夕法尼亚州立大学通过零阶段计划

俄罗斯曾拥有多艘与“吉米·卡特”号类似的间谍潜艇，包括神秘的10831型“洛沙里克”号，但关于它们的具体设计和性能，公开信息却寥寥无几。鉴于俄罗斯对电子战的重视，克里姆林宫较为常规的潜艇很可能至少配备了一些能够执行基本电子情报功能的系统。据报道，截至2017年5月，莫斯科已下令建造一艘新型的大型“科研”潜艇。如果PLATH公司的系统真如他们所宣称的那样小巧易装，那么其他拥有先进潜艇部队的国家，例如中国、以色列、日本、韩国、瑞典和英国，很可能已经拥有类似的设备。

然而，该公司的附加套件，或者类似产品，对于预算较为紧张的小型海军来说将是理想之选。它可以轻松地将老旧或小型潜艇改造成秘密间谍工具，使其重获新生，并能够监视港口或其他沿海重要地点，而这些地点原本可能对这些国家来说是禁区。除了各种类型的潜艇之外，要想在这些敏感区域建立视距信号情报系统而不被立即发现，唯一的办法就是使用先进的高空或隐形间谍飞机或无人机。很少有国家拥有运行此类系统的资源。

俄罗斯奥斯卡级潜艇“奥廖尔”号。（图片来自Wikimedia，Andrei Luzik摄）

当然，如果潜艇间谍活动变得更加频繁，世界各国军队很可能会通过研发更多新型、更先进的反潜防御系统来应对。据报道，中国已经在建设水下传感器网络，该网络或许能够探测到试图在南海和东海等争议海域秘密活动的潜艇。与此同时，各国海军也在研发更安静、更隐蔽的潜艇。这是一场由来已久的水下猫鼠游戏。

从 PLATH 的新发展和现有系统来看，很明显，潜艇作为一种情报工具的想法，随着时间的推移只会越来越受欢迎，即使是规模较小的海军也是如此。

联系作者：joe@thedrive.com

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