China seizes SSC drone

An underwater drone operated by the Naval Oceanographic Office at Stennis Space Center, Miss., was seized Dec. 15 by China in the South China Sea. The Department of Defense has called upon China to immediately return the unmanned underwater vehicle that was collecting military oceanographic data such as salinity and water temperature. The unclassified ocean glider was being retrieved by the survey ship USNS Bowditch (T-AGS 62) when it was seized by the Chinese ship about 50 nautical miles northwest of Subic Bay, Philippines. The gliders are piloted by civilian workers at the oceanographic office at Stennis Space Center. The office has more than 130 such UUVs. (Source: GCRL, 12/16/16) Pentagon statement