DPD deploys underwater from combat rubber raiding crafts

Lance Cpl. Mark W. Stroud -

The DPD is a battery-powered vehicle capable of carrying two divers and their gear while submersed out of sight.

“The (DPD) is the Marine Reconnaissance’s miniature submarine, if you will,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Donald R. Miner, medical deep sea diver, 3rd Recon. Bn., 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. “It allows them to transit long distances using minimal amounts of energy and O2 on their diving rigs.”

According to Miner, the training consisted of a series of submerged movements between checkpoints marked by large buoys, designed to improve the divers’ underwater navigation skills as well as familiarize them with the DPD.

The Marines first had to complete dive training to be eligible for the follow-up DPD training. 

“They qualify Marine combat divers at dive school and come out here, and we sustain them and grow them as diving supervisors and DPD pilots,” said Miner.

“The course is roughly seven days long start to finish and includes night dives. Once they are qualified on the DPD, they will get together as platoons and do sustainment training, which would basically be a navigation dive like this or a (simulated mission),” Miner added.

During combat operations, the Marines use the device for covert insertions onto beaches and shorelines.

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