Photo By Chief Petty Officer Justin Stumberg | U.S. Navy Seabees assigned to Naval Construction Battalion 14 deploy a submersible...... read more read more
During Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2025, U.S. Navy Seabees and U.S. Marine Corps engineers joined forces to test a new solution for enhancing mobility in littoral environments, one that could reshape how Joint Force commanders conduct distributed maritime operations.
The experimental system, Submerged Modular Amphibious Terrain (SUBMAT), was developed by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) in coordination with Nearshore Logistics, LLC. SUBMAT is a lightweight, fabric-based system that transforms local sand into a stabilized, semi-permanent surface.
Designed to support beach landing operations, its application during BALTOPS extended far beyond its original concept.
“SUBMAT is a newly developed product that provides a rapidly deployable, low-logistics, and semi-permanent solution to enable force projection in the littoral zone,” said Dr. Timothy W. Rushing, ERDC senior research engineer. “During BALTOPS, the Naval Construction Force has shown that it can also be used to construct vehicle roadways through muddy terrain and as an expedient boat ramp.”
The U.S. Navy’s participation in the annual multinational exercise centers on enhancing interoperability and readiness in contested environments. This year, the addition of SUBMAT added a new layer to that readiness.
Working alongside Seabees from Naval Construction Battalion (NCB) 14, ERDC personnel tested new installation techniques for environments lacking beach sand. In the muddy training areas of Skrunda and Liepaja, the team evaluated methods for delivering sand to the system, measuring how quickly and effectively Seabees could deploy the mats independently.
“Our goals were to test ease and speed of deployment, and more importantly, to evaluate how well we could transfer knowledge to the Seabees so they could install SUBMAT without civilian oversight in future operations,” said Rushing.
While traditional matting systems like Faun Trackway or aluminum interlocking mat panels provide rapid deployment, Rushing noted that SUBMAT offers significant advantages in endurance and logistics.
“SUBMAT is much lighter before filling, less than half a pound per square foot, and can be folded or rolled for easy transport,” Rushing said. “Once filled, it weighs nearly 100 pounds per square foot and forms a durable, long-lasting surface that doesn’t require curing. It’s not as strong as concrete, but it's faster, cheaper, and more adaptable.”
This adaptability makes it particularly valuable in the variable conditions of the Baltic Sea. SUBMAT’s modular design allows mats to be configured for different terrains and operational needs, including adjusting to tide cycles and variable slopes.
“This collaboration with the Navy offered insights we might not have had for years otherwise,” Rushing said. “Testing SUBMAT under these real-world conditions in the Baltic provides invaluable data on how it withstands ice, freeze-thaw cycles, and extended use.”
From a fleet experimentation perspective, the deployment of SUBMAT reflects a growing focus on fielding adaptable technologies to support distributed maritime operations.
“BALTOPS 25 offers the unique opportunity to test and evaluate innovative technology jointly with partners and joint forces in a representative operational environment,” said Mr. Charles Humphrey, Office of Naval Research – Global (ONR-G) Science Advisor assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and Sixth Fleet. “By working with Baltic partners who are highly motivated to advance military capability, we receive invaluable feedback and recommendations on the employment and design of the technology as well as improve interoperability between our forces. We are able to fully evaluate systems to ensure they handle the challenges of the harsh Baltic environment of rain, wind, temperature, and seas.”
Humphrey added that technologies like SUBMAT support evolving mission needs.
“In expeditionary warfare there is a trend towards rapid maneuver in a smaller footprint. The U.S. Marine Corps’ expeditionary advanced base operations is one example,” said Humphrey. “Technology like SUBMAT drastically reduces the logistical footprint to enable maneuver from sea to land. It potentially can enable maneuver across harsh terrain for land forces.”
He emphasized that real-world exercises like BALTOPS are critical to bridging gaps between operational needs and technical solutions.
“The science and technology community drives to deliver capability to the fleet by working alongside the warfighter. As an ONR-G science advisor stationed at a forward fleet command, I am able to identify and articulate operational capability gaps to the technology development community,” said Humphrey.
“Real world exercises like BALTOPS provide the opportunity to experiment with innovative technical solutions in an operational environment with the warfighter to rapidly assess and improve the technology as well as the techniques, tactics, and procedures to employ to keep pace with the evolving nature of warfare,” said Humphrey. “Rapid prototyping and experimentation help to deliver and transition quickly the appropriate technology to the warfighter.”
For both the Navy and ERDC, the implications go beyond BALTOPS.
“This exercise allowed us to see the system used in novel ways by the end users themselves,” Rushing said. “Their feedback and our observations are already informing improvements that will better support Joint Force commanders in future distributed maritime operations.”
As the Navy continues to evolve for the high-end fight, tools like SUBMAT may offer a lightweight, logistically friendly solution to one of the oldest challenges in amphibious warfare, getting forces ashore and keeping them moving.
BALTOPS, which began June 5, is the premier annual maritime-focused military exercise in the Baltic region. BALTOPS provides NATO allies a unique opportunity to train together, strengthen interoperability and demonstrate collective readiness to defend the Alliance and preserve freedom of navigation in the region.
Participating nations include Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
BALTOPS includes training in a wide range of capabilities, including amphibious operations, gunnery, air defense, anti-submarine warfare, mine countermeasures, explosive ordnance disposal, and medical response. It is led by U.S. 6th Fleet and command-and-controlled by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, headquartered in Oeiras, Portugal.
| Date Taken: | 06.20.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.14.2025 07:33 |
| Story ID: | 542672 |
| Location: | LIEPAJA, LV |
| Web Views: | 141 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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