SSSK Undersea Torpedo Testing Target Project

San Clemente Island, CA

Salvage + Design and Engineering

SSSK Undersea Torpedo Testing Target Project

Curtin Maritime mobilized for a joint exercise with the Navy’s Sup Salvage Division, Undersea Warfare Division and Titan Salvage of the coast of San Clemente Island, Ca.

Project Facts

• Deployment of undersea targets for torpedo testing.

• 7 Days Offshore

• Design + Engineering

• Navy Sup Salvage Division

Curtin Maritime mobilized for a joint exercise with the Navy’s Sup Salvage Division, Undersea Warfare Division and Titan Salvage off the coast of San Clemente Island. The mission was the deployment of undersea targets for torpedo testing. Both Navy and Titan Salvage equipment were trucked to the Curtin Maritime facility in Long Beach CA for the assembly of the target structures prior to being loaded on the barge. The target structures are 100’ long steel open frames and are suspended 15’ below the surface when deployed by float bags.

After deployment, ships or helicopters then perform target practice maneuvers after which the targets are recovered. New to the operation this time was the use of a near bottom target that was both suspended by float bags and held to the sea floor with an anchor system. This allowed the target to hover over the bottom in roughly 300’ of water. Curtin Maritime’s in-house team was able to help with the design and engineering of the anchor system to meet the Navy specifications as well as fabricate it in our yard. Our deck barge 185-3 and tug Sarah C operated offshore for 7 days during the operation.