When a tourist took a photo of Havana’s picturesque harbor, they didn’t realize the intelligence value of what they were capturing. Lurking in the shadows near a pier, and behind a palm tree, was one of the world’s least photographed submarines.
It’s the Cuban Navy’s Delfin Class, and this is by far the clearest image of it to date. It is also evidence that it has been active in the Florida Straits.
Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) image analysis showing a Cuban submarine in Havana. This is part of ... [+]
There are few areas of military hardware which are as shrouded in secrecy as submarines. And even among submarines some are better guarded than others. One of the least known is Cuba’s Delfin Class submarine. Defense analysts only know of one other publicly shared photo, and that was long ago and poor quality. This new image gives us a much clearer view of the details. I will need to update the profile in my world submarines recognition book.
So it is now two photos in 15 years, not bad for secrecy! We also have a few commercial satellite images and a handful mentions in Cuban sources, but we know precious little about her.
Delfin is Cuba’s sole submarine. Back during the Cold War the Cuban Navy had three attack submarines supplied by the Soviet Union. But like most of their larger ships these have long since been retired. Today the Cuban Navy operates a hodgepodge of vintage Soviet equipment, converted fishing trawlers with missiles and helicopters, and an array of improvised torpedo craft. The Delfin is the most impressive of these homegrown vessels.
It is also likely to be the most potent. We cannot be sure whether she is armed; that much is hidden from sight. But from her size, when compared to submarines elsewhere, she is likely to be able to carry two heavyweight torpedoes. This presents a serious threat in a naval encounter.
The sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan in 2010 reminds us that even a rudimentary submarine can be a devastatingly effective weapon if it has surprise on its side. The Cheonan was literally broken in half by a torpedo believed to have been fired from a North Korean submarine. And submarines are designed for surprise.
The submarine is quite small, only about 70 feet long. This means that she has a displacement of around 100 tons, a fraction of the U.S. Navy’s attack submarines. It is still large enough for a five-person crew and a small diesel engine to keep her going.
Delfin is active between the capital, Havana, and the remote naval base at Cabanas. From analysis of open sources we know that she has been present in Havana several times in the past year, indicating a modest operational tempo.
We may learn more about Delfin in the coming years. For now this new photo will be gold dust to defense watchers hoping to know more about Cuba’s most potent naval vessel.
