UCT One Seabee Divers Complete Six-Month Expeditionary Engineering Deployment in U.S. 6th Fleet

U.S. Navy Seabee divers assigned to Underwater Construction Team (UCT) One, Construction Dive Detachment 1-3 (CDD 1-3), completed a six-month deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.

During the deployment, CDD 1-3 conducted underwater construction, maritime infrastructure repair, hydrographic surveying, salvage operations, force-protection activities, and allied and partner engagements across Europe.

CDD 1-3 assumed responsibility as Commander, Task Unit 68.2.2 from Construction Dive Detachment 1-2 during a transfer of authority at Naval Station Rota, Spain, March 13. The transition continued UCT One’s expeditionary underwater construction presence in support of U.S. 6th Fleet and Commander, Task Force 68 requirements.

“This deployment demonstrated exactly what an expeditionary dive detachment is designed to do,” said Lt. Alice Morgan, CDD 1-3 officer in charge. “Move quickly, assess a requirement, integrate with our partners and deliver an engineering effect that matters to the Fleet.”

CDD 1-3 began its deployment with the first bilateral diving skills exchange between the detachment and personnel from the Spanish Navy Diving Center in Cartagena, Spain. Working alongside Spanish Navy divers, the detachment conducted SCUBA operations, underwater inspections, remotely operated vehicle operations and hydrographic survey training. U.S. and Spanish divers also completed waterfront facility inspections to collect engineering and hydrographic data supporting infrastructure sustainment and construction planning.

The engagement helped establish conditions for future bilateral exchanges and set a theme that continued throughout the deployment by using diving and expeditionary engineering to improve maritime access, infrastructure and Fleet readiness.

Early in the deployment, CDD 1-3 also operated in Souda Bay, Greece, where Seabee divers supported the installation and evaluation of emerging maritime force-protection technology. The mission allowed the team to rehearse expeditionary employment requirements while contributing to the protection of critical maritime infrastructure.

“The common thread throughout this deployment was readiness,” said Senior Chief Constructionman Estephan Lopez, CDD 1-3 master diver and assistant officer in charge. “Whether we were inspecting a waterfront, repairing a quay wall, helping build a boat ramp or conducting salvage operations, every dive required disciplined planning, technical skill, and trust in the team. Doing that work in real operating environments makes us better divers and gives the Fleet a capability it can rely on.”

In the Adriatic Sea, CDD 1-3 shifted from assessment to construction. At the Port Brizine fuel terminal in Split, Croatia, Seabee divers repaired severely degraded quay-wall structures identified during previous infrastructure assessments. Divers used reinforced-concrete encapsulation techniques to restore structural integrity and extend the service life of a maritime refueling facility supporting Croatian, NATO and U.S. operations. CDD 1-3 personnel also participated in an underwater cleanup effort in Pag, Croatia.

Beyond construction and repair, CDD 1-3 maritime infrastructure survey teams operated in the Faroe Islands and Estonia, collecting engineering and hydrographic data on waterfront infrastructure and maritime facilities. The surveys demonstrated the detachment’s ability to rapidly assess maritime infrastructure and provide technical information to support future planning and operations.

CDD 1-3 then supported a series of major multinational exercises across the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations. During Baltic Operations 2026 in Liepāja, Latvia, CDD 1-3 divers worked alongside Amphibious Construction Battalion One and Royal Netherlands Navy divers to construct a boat ramp supporting access to Karosta harbor.

Divers conducted underwater construction and assisted with placement of a concrete toe block and panels, helping transform a temporary vessel-launch site into a more durable launch and recovery point. Additionally, the Royal Netherlands Navy divers conducted salvage operations alongside the detachment and supported the testing of maritime force protection technology.

The engagement renewed ties between U.S. and Dutch Navy divers while demonstrating how expeditionary underwater construction can improve maritime access and interoperability among allied forces.

During Sea Breeze 26, CDD 1-3 performed salvage operations and trained alongside Ukrainian military divers, exchanging techniques and strengthening partner diving capabilities. The detachment performed underwater cutting, welding and hydraulic tools operations. The engagement provided another opportunity for Seabee divers to share technical expertise, test emerging capabilities, and increase interoperability with partner forces.

CDD 1-3 concluded the operational portion of its deployment in the High North during Northern Viking 26. Operating from Ramsund, Norway, the detachment conducted bathymetric surveys, diving and salvage operations, survivability training, and underwater infrastructure work in the demanding conditions of northern Norway.

“What I’m most proud of is how this team responded every time the mission changed,” Morgan said. “They went from working with partner divers in the Mediterranean, to underwater construction in the Baltic, to salvage operations in the High North and continued to perform at a high level. That adaptability is what expeditionary engineering is all about.”

Across six months, CDD 1-3 executed expeditionary construction and diving operations throughout the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations, combining underwater construction, infrastructure assessment and repair, hydrographic surveying, salvage, force protection, and allied and partner integration to support maritime access and Fleet readiness.

The deployment demonstrated the ability of a compact, expeditionary dive detachment to operate across dispersed locations, rapidly transition between mission sets, and integrate with U.S., allied and partner forces in support of maritime operations.

UCT One provides specialized underwater construction, inspection, repair, light salvage, military diving, and maritime engineering capabilities in support of naval, joint, and combined operations worldwide.

22nd Naval Construction Regiment commands Naval Construction Force elements supporting Navy Expeditionary Combat Forces Europe-Africa/Task Force 68 across the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.

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