Working on a story where the opening chapter has the US navy sending a vessel so that they can transfer an agent to a non-American submarine. It is a friendly, pre aranged transfer, but I wonder what kind of ship the Navy would send.
Its not covert at all. Transfer takes place in the Indian Ocean.
Why by helicopter?
Modern submarines (nuclear powered or not) don't really have a deck anymore. Not a flat surface for walking. So a helicopter transfer permits putting the guy right into the conning station at the top of the sail.
Also, since subs don't have keels, they can behave a bit randomly on the surface.
I would suggest the CRRC (Combat Rubber Raiding Craft) Zodiac. I think it would fit best. Look it up and see if it fits your story line.
The Zodiac was a popular small craft used back in my Special Ops days....
Best of luck!
John
Modern submarines (nuclear powered or not) don't really have a deck anymore. Not a flat surface for walking. So a helicopter transfer permits putting the guy right into the conning station at the top of the sail.
If you're trying to be really stealthy, maybe a civilian ship would be used, a tanker or freighter capable of handling a helicopter. Back in the 1980s (I believe), a drill-ship ostensibly doing scientific research was employed to try to recover a sunken Soviet submarine. The effort failed, but wasn't revealed for many years thereafter.
caw
You're planning on the transfer taking place in the middle of the Indian Ocean, out in blue water, is that correct?
Unless there's a compelling reason to do this, then it wouldn't happen. If for some reason you couldn't do it while the boat is moored, then it's still a lot safer to do the transfer via small craft in a harbor, or at least in a coastal area.
John G Nelson's idea of a CRRC transfer would be a plausible one in light seas, and there are a lot of vessels capable of deploying one.
No. The only time you do a helo transfer with a submarine is if there's no other choice possible. It's a very dangerous evolution.
The bridge has to cover just as many degrees of movement as topside, but has a longer radius from the center of gravity. It's going to move a greater distance than topside, and you're trying to get him into roughly a much smaller area. Presumably whoever authorized the transfer would like Mr. Superspy to not break his hip bouncing off the sail.
The rotors on a helicopter generate enough static electricity that you can potentially electrocute the person you're transferring, or the handlers in the submarine's bridge. Yes seriously.
1970s. You're thinking of the Howard Hughes's Glomar Explorer.
Yes, out in the blue water, roughly between Diego Garcia and Mauritious. Reason for the area of transfer is our protaganist is being sent to a semi-independant corperate undersea colony, who sent a submarine to that location to pick him up. Does that help?
Maybe a submarine is different though. As an 18-year old mid, it was all new to me.