Photograph taken from a spy balloon launched from a US Navy submarine
U.S. Navy & CIA Submarine Launched Spy Balloons
A stray Chinese ‘weather balloon’ (yeah right) gallivanting across America is a curious reminder of the underreported would have balloon warfare. Well, I have been meaning to write this for many years...
The history of military balloons goes back to the 19th century when they were used for battlefield observation. In World War Two the Japanese used them to bomb America. And by the early Cold War they were a significant part of the spying game.
Project Genetrix saw the USAF launch over 500 surveillance balloons, fitted with cameras, over USSR, China and Eastern Europe in the 1950s. What is less well known is that around the same time the US Navy was, with the CiA, experimenting with launching similar balloons from a submarine.
Unlike the USAF program, the balloons were crewed, with a pilot and CIA photographer. The submarine would surface and the balloon inflated. At the end of mission the balloonists would ditch in the sea and be picked up by another submarine (or possibly the same one).
The Submarine
The submarine used was a World War Two construction Balao class fleet boat, USS Sennet (SS-408). The boat had a respectable combat record and had ventured down the the Antarctic in 1947 as part of Operation HIGH JUMP. In 1951 she'd been converted to GUPPY standard with a new sail and snorkel.
USS Sennet (SS-408) as she appeared at the time. From NavSource.
According to Wikipedia, "On 4 November 1954, Sennet departed Key West on her first deployment to the Mediterranean and service with the 6th Fleet. From her return on 30 January 1955 until 1 August 1959, the submarine conducted training, local, and fleet operations with her squadron." In reality of course, some of the training and operations appears to have been the test launch of the balloon.
CIA photos (possibly affected by photocopying during filing or declassification) of the balloon launch from the forward deck of the submarine. The balloon was inflated with helium stored in the torpedo room.
The target for the test launch, in April 1955, was Key West Naval Air Station (NAS) in Florida. The balloon was launched, overflew the target (a couple of miles off planned route) and was recovered.
Real Spy Missions?
According to a magazine article shared on USS Sennet association's website (here), an operational balloon mission was conducted in 1955, flying over Soviet bases on Sakhalin Island in the Pacific. I have not been able to confirm this.
Submarines offered a more discrete way to launch spy balloon missions. But at best, were used on a very limited basis. The USAF program however involved hundreds of balloons. The USAF program was widely seen as unsuccessful and politically embarrassing, and soon spy planes and satellites took over. Until the past few years when spy balloons have reemerged.
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