Submarine under Arctic. Cutaway computer illustration of the submarine USS Hawkbill conducting research under the Arctic ice. This submarine made two trips under the Arctic ice from June-August 1998 and March to May 1999 as part of the SCICEX (Scientific Ice Expeditions) program. It took numerous water samples during these missions, and also mapped the sea floor. The original SS Hawkbill was named for the Hawksbill sea turtle, but the s" was inadvertently dropped during commissioning."