Securing points on the casing, hull penetrations, piping for high-pressure air and electrical supplies are in place ready to receive the DDS. The aft section of the sail on the Astute class boats have removable panels. The DDS is not a permanent fixture and is designed to be attached or removed from a submarine within a matter of days. In UK service it is formally named the Special Forces Payload Bay (SFPB) and was procured under ‘project CHALFONT’, although submariners nickname it “the caravan of death”. The DDS fitted to the Astute class boats is a cylindrical chamber approximately 13m long by 3m diameter. Using unclassified public domain sources, here we examine the history, design and operation of the DDS in RN service. The Astute class submarines were designed from the outset to be fitted with a Dry Deck Shelter (DDS) which significantly enhances their ability to covertly deliver special forces.
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