Updated. Originally posted Oct 10 2016.



Mystery of the Cuban Navy's midget sub

This article would not be possible without info from unnamed others. All info presented is OSINT, and any errors are solely the responsibility of the author. Feedback and further info welcome.



Cuba maintains a shroud of secrecy around its sole active submarine, the 21m (70ft) Delfin. Recent satellite imagery shows that she is still active and operates from both her home base at Cabanas and occasionally from the capitol Havana.



Very little is known about the boat but we can deduce some basic facts. She is a ~20m (65ft) dry sub with a crew of at least five men. She has a single diesel engine which does not appear to have a snort mast, instead a crude inverted u-bend type exhaust is visible at the back of the sail. We do not know if she is armed but she is large enough to assume twin 533mm torpedoes could be carried externally.



Rumors that she is of North Korean design appear in error although there is evidence from North Korean defectors that Cuban officials inspected North Korean submarines in 1990s. So it is possible that the Cuban program was influenced by North Korean designs such as the Yugo Class. A stronger influence appears be the Russian SPLC X-Craft.

Soviet Project 1015 'SPLC' Special Purpose midget submarine



Satellite Imagery

Havana, December 2019:





Havana, November 2019:





Cabanas, August 2018:





Cabanas, March 2018:









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Cabanas, November 2016:





Havana, August 2015:





Cabanas, February 2014:





Cabanas, February 2013:





Cabanas, January 2013:









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Cabanas, December 2012:





Cabanas, October 2012:





Cabanas, August 2012:





Havana, November 2011:









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Cabanas, November 2010:





Cabanas, May 2010:





Cabanas, April 2008:



