Thursday, October 9, 2025

Washington secretly mapping Maduro's defences from Caribbean

 
The US special forces' mothership MV Ocean Trader and a mini submarine used by Navy SEALs for their clandestine operations off the Venezuelan coast (top right). © US Navy

 From IntelligenceOnline by Gregory Priolon
 
The US special forces' mothership, the MV Ocean Trader, has been deployed to the Caribbean. According to our sources, it is being used as a clandestine base for the operators, combat swimmers and drones that are preparing possible strikes on Venezuela's military and energy infrastructure.

Two American security sources have confirmed to Intelligence Online that the MV Ocean Trader is currently operating as a forward base for US special forces in the Caribbean, off the Venezuelan island of Margarita.
On board, teams of operators, combat swimmers and a fleet of aerial and sea drones are conducting intelligence-gathering missions, bathymetric surveys and targeted reconnaissance of Venezuela's coastal defences, offshore platforms and oil terminals.

The vessel is a former cargo carrier converted into a veritable special operations "mothership", complete with helicopter hangars, command posts and rafts for deploying fast assault craft. It serves as an ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition & Reconnaissance) hub.

 
Sea drones at the vanguard

Our sources say that several naval systems are deployed from the Ocean Trader.
The Sea Hunter, a large autonomous surface drone originally developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and its derivative, the Seahawk, can patrol long distances to monitor shipping lanes and ports and listen to enemy electromagnetic signals.

Other more compact platforms, such as Textron Systems' Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle (CUSV), are adapted for modular missions, able to carry sonar and electro-optical sensors.
They operate alongside autonomous underwater vehicles, used to scan the seabed and create accurate bathymetric maps.

ISR and strike capabilities

According to sources close to the matter, the aerial equipment carried on the mothership combines ISR and strike capabilities, should the White House give the go-ahead.
The ScanEagle drone provides continuous surveillance over Venezuela's coast.
The RQ-21 Blackjack carries modular sensors and has increased range to cover larger portions of the Venezuelan coastline.

For close observation, teams deploy AeroVironment's Puma AE and Wasp drones, which are immediately operational to validate a landing or to confirm a target's position.
Vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drones such as Shield AI's V-BAT take off from the deck and relay video feeds via a satellite communication system (Satcom).

Our sources told Intelligence Online that a heavy strike capability is kept in reserve: the Switchblade 600.

Combat swimmers and special units

The teams on board are part of the Naval Special Warfare Center (NSWC).
At the forefront are Navy SEALs, the US Navy's main special forces unit, who conduct coastal reconnaissance.
They operate at night, in ports and along coastlines.
Their mission is to identify, visually confirm and provide ground targeting for ISR teams.

For the most discreet infiltrations, SEAL Delivery Vehicle Teams deploy Swimmer Delivery Vehicles (SDVs) or wet submersibles.
These pocket submarines transport swimmers covertly and allow close reconnaissance without alerting Venezuelan coastal defences.
They can also be used to lay tracking beacons or passive intelligence sensors.

The presence on board of electronic warfare teams is also noteworthy, tasked in particular with detecting enemy electromagnetic signals.

Data fusion and algorithmic warfare

The on-board resources are built around data fusion technologies that are now central to US doctrine. Palantir's Foundry is cited as the key tool for aggregating data streams from aerial drones, surface and submarine drones, as well as on-board jamming and interception sensors (SIGINT).

At the same time, Auterion's Skynode provides the software layer necessary for coordinating the drones, ensuring their distributed control, resistance to jamming and the ability to operate in swarms.
Our sources call this combination of technologies a force multiplier, transforming raw data into actionable options almost instantly.

The files compiled during these bathymetric and aerial reconnaissance missions are primarily intended to reduce operational uncertainty about the real capabilities of Caracas' anti-aircraft and anti-ship defences.
The beaches being mapped, maritime approaches being analysed and oil terminals being scrutinised are all potential targets for surgical strikes or interdiction operations in the event of an escalation.

Mapping Maduro's air defences

Venezuela has built up a multi-layered air defence system, at the heart of which is Russia's S-300VM Antey-2500 system, capable of targeting aircraft and cruise missiles.
Around this core are batteries of modernised Buk-M2E (medium range), Tor-M1 and Pechora-2M systems, supplemented by ZSU and ZU-23 cannons and Igla-S Manpads deployed around the Bolivarian republic's bases and strategic sites.

This mesh is supported by multiband radars, including Russian Nebo-SVU radars, as well as several Chinese systems such as the JYL-1 and JYL-27A/YLC-18 (long range, covering the VHF and L bands), designed to detect stealth aircraft and low-altitude flights.
Sources close to the matter also mention the presence of YLC-8B radars, which specialise in detecting stealth targets.
Their integration into the Sistema Integral de Defensa Aeroespacial (SINDA) gives President Nicolas Maduro's regime expanded regional surveillance and anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities.
 
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