The erstwhile planet Pluto (now officially an asteroid) was
known for decades as a small, dark planet—hidden, difficult to
spot, and on a quiet, determined course all its own. And so,
when the DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) needed a
target semi-submersible to detect the hidden but determined
maritime smuggling operations of the South American drug
cartels, it created its own vessel and called it "PLUTO," after
the planet that is so difficult to spot. S&T's PLUTO is a small,
semi-submersible that is representative of what are popularly
called "narco subs," and serves as a realistic practice target
for the detection systems of DHS and its national security
community partners. In the early 90's, South American drug
cartels came up with a new tactic to transport narcotics
destined for the United States: small, radar-dodging, self-
propelled, semi-submersibles (SPSSs). Although clandestine semi-
submersibles were rumored to exist in the mid-1990s, many
believed them to be a myth, hence their name Bigfo