DSRVs and SRCs spell "rescue" for stranded submariners
By JO1 Joseph Gunder, Navy Wire Service
WASHINGTON (NWS) -- It's a submariner's worst nightmare.
Being stuck on the bottom of the ocean in a dark, cold, damp
and powerless submarine with air running out. The U.S. Navy
has tools at their disposal to ensure that Sailors have a
means of escape from what might otherwise be their metal
coffin.
The Navy's Deep Submergence Unit (DSU) at NAS North
Island in San Diego provides the operational expertise to
conduct a variety of missions with its deep submergence
rescue vehicles (DSRVs), Submarine Rescue Chambers (SRCs),
Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and support ships.
Recently, a Russian "Oscar-class" submarine became
stranded at the bottom of the Barents Sea off the coast of
Norway, trapping its crew of more than 100. Although the
Russian navy has its own rescue system, the U.S. Navy has a
DSRV and SRC on stand-by, just in case.
The two DSRVs, also known by their names Avalon and
Mystic, are sort of "mini-subs" that can be flown anywhere
in the world on short notice. They can conduct rescue
operations as deep as 2,000 feet.
Typically, when the U.S. Navy responds to an accident
site, the DSRV, its crew and specialized support gear from
the Deep Submergence Unit (DSU) are transported via a U.S.
Air Force C-5 "Galaxy" cargo plane at NAS North Island and
flown to the nearest capable airport.
Once it arrives, the DSRV is transported via its land
transport vehicle and taken to the staging port for
rendezvous with a specially equipped "mother submarine."
"This is what's called the `mother-sub' or `mosub'
concept," explained Cmdr. Bill Orr, action officer for the
Deep Submergence branch of the Submarine Warfare Division
(N873). "We would mount the DSRV on the mother-sub. After
transiting together to the rescue site, the DSRV would
detach and transit over to the disabled submarine, recover
up to 24 personnel, transit back to the mother sub, mate and
transfer the personnel. The DSRV would then continue the
rescue cycle until all survivors were recovered."
The DSRV could also be bringing down emergency air,
food, water, blankets, lithium hydroxide for the air
scrubbers, or anything else needed to help aid those
remaining on the stricken sub until all the personnel can be
recovered.
The other method for a rescue of a stranded sub would be
the use of the Submarine Rescue Chamber, or SRC. This
chamber would be lowered from a vessel on the surface and be
able to take about six personnel at a time. It would be
hauled into place over the disabled sub's hatch by means of
a winch and a down haul cable. But first, a remotely
operated vehicle or a diver must attach the cable to the
center of the sub's hatch for the SRC to find its mark.
-USN-
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