The need for novel and capable equipment to support Special Operations units’ covert insertion and extraction movements has prompted many navies to equip themselves with various vector vehicles. During a recent public ceremony in Rome a few days ago, the Italian Navy displayed a more compact AE-90 submarine than the type 212 submarines it currently operates.
The vessel in issue has enhanced Italy’s capabilities, placing it internationally in an elite group of nations. It is a small submarine with notable navigation and autonomy capabilities, larger than the classic SDV (Swimmer Delivery Vehicle) mini-submarines and thrusters used by Special Operations diving units and other groups predominantly operating in the naval domain.
The layout of the Italian AE-90 submarine
Designed by the Italian firm Cabi Cattaneo and commissioned by the Italian Navy’s GOI, the AE-90 submarine measures about ten metres in length and two metres in diameter. It may also have some unique features, such as a sonar system mounted on the upper front part of the bow, three hatches for crew and personnel access to the interior, and two bow propellers for navigation.
At the stern, amid these latter, there appears to be a tube that could be used to launch torpedoes or Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) to the exterior. However, it could also be used to deploy and retrieve divers or equipment. Companies like Cabi Cattaneo, GSE Trieste, and M23 S.R.L. have a long tradition of designing compact submarines in Italy. These vessels have been exported to numerous nations, but their incorporation into the Italian Navy was not previously highlighted. It was known that the United States SEAL (Sea Air and Land) teams had evaluated several models in their search for a submarine capable of transporting personnel without exposing them to the harsh conditions or cold caused by an open design that allows water to enter.
