Testing for New Diving System Underway
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS101118-19
11/18/2010
From Naval Sea Systems Command Public Affairs
Naval Experimental Diving Unit Public Affairs (NNS) -- Naval Experimental Diving Unit (NEDU), Panama City, Fla., recently completed the first manned dive of the Saturation Fly-Away Diving System (SAT FADS) and will conduct bell operations Nov. 29.
The SATS FAD System will provide critical organic saturation diving capability to support Navy salvage and recovery operations around the world.
SAT FADS is designed to be deployable worldwide and support deep water sustained diving operations to depths of 1,000 feet sea water (fsw), replacing two decommissioned Pigeon-class submarine rescue which operated to 850 fsw.
"This system will allow us to put United States Navy saturation divers on the bottom of the ocean to conduct deep ocean salvage and submarine recovery operations," said Paul McMurtrie, SAT FADS program manager for and a retired Navy master diver. "This new asset greatly increases our manned salvage capabilities onto the continental shelf."
SAT FADS supports six saturation divers for a period of 21 days, with an additional nine days of decompression. The system consists of five major components; a main deck decompression chamber, a manned diving bell, the bell handling system, a control van, and two auxiliary support equipment vans. Living quarters are located in the decompression chamber.
System commissioning will continue through an operational evaluation, series of manned dives pierside, and culminate with a 1,000 fsw dry saturation dive.
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