#electronics technician

The old and the new….

PACIFIC OCEAN (October 19, 2020) – Past and future intersected when a quadcopter-style drone resupplied, at sea, one of the United States Navy’soldestsubmarines,Ohio-class ballistic missile submarineUSSHenry M. Jackson (SSBN 730).(The submarine was commissioned in 1984.)

                   Delivery complete….the drone heads for home.

The test event was successful….with the 21st century drone depositing its package (look to the far right in the video) for pick-up on the submarine’s hull by waiting crew members….and returning to operators aboard a nearby surface ship.

Electronics Technician, Submarine, Navigation,1st Class Carlos Gonzalez, USN and Chief Electronics Technician, Submarine, Navigation Michael Inman, USN, pilot the drone from a nearby surface vessel.

While short in distance and small in size, the experimental operation demonstrated potential for future resupply operations without the need for ports or, even, nearby ships. (OrAmazon Prime!)

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>>Turn up the sound on the video….you can hear the submarine crew members on deck clapping at the successful delivery….

>>Video:Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Devin M. Langer, USN; Photos: Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael B. Zingaro, USN