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Russian Navy Delegation Visits DSU

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS051216-02
Release Date: 12/16/2005 1:27:00 PM

By Journalist 1st Class Paul Cage, Fleet Public Affairs Center Pacific

ABOARD MV KELLIE CHOUEST, At Sea (NNS) -- A Russian Federation Navy Delegation visited the Deep Submergence Unit (DSU) aboard MV Kellie Chouest Dec. 14 to observe Deep Submergence Recovery Vehicle (DSRV) Mystic conduct recovery training exercises off the coast of California.

Kellie Chouest is a submarine support vessel homeported at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.

This was the second bilateral meeting this year between the Russian and American navies to work on general guidelines for a proposed memorandum of agreement on submarine search and rescue. The first meeting was held in September in Moscow.

“We are discussing the standardization and technical certification of their recovery vehicle, which is a long process,” said Capt. Chris Murray, deputy director, Deep Submergence Systems. “We are trying to build their confidence in our recovery system by showing them how we conduct recovery operations. Taking them down with Mystic, showing them firsthand the equipment we would be using is a major step in building that mutual understanding and confidence.”

This was the first time the Russians dived with Mystic. They were taken to a depth of 2,000 feet, where Mystic conducted a video sweep and mounted onto a platform. The platform is used to simulate a submarine hatch. One of the Russian delegates was also allowed to take control of Mystic and steer for a while.

“I was surprised at how pleasant and professional the pilots of Mystic were,” said Capt. 1st Rank Andrey Zvyagintsev, commander of the Russian Expeditionary Search and Rescue Detachment. “They are the right people for the job. If we join our rescue forces, I know we will be able to do effective recovery work.”

Immediate response is considered key to submarine rescue.

“Immediate response is the key for sub rescues,” said Bill Orr, International Submarine Escape and Rescue Liaison Office coordinator and submarine rescue officer for Commander, Naval Submarine Forces. “If you don’t know who your neighbors are, you're not going to [even] ask them for a cup of sugar. If we can foster confidence and understanding in our system and vice versa, we will be able to ask each other, like good neighbors, for assistance and not make a situation worse.”

Building on this interaction, the two navies hope to conduct a future visit to Russia, where representatives from the United States will be able to observe Russian personnel perform rescue operation exercises.

“This was a great opportunity to foster good will between our two countries,” said Cmdr. Kent Van Horn, commander of DSU. “Any chance we get to show our capabilities, like we did today, will only improve our understanding between our navies.”