Indian Navy Inducts Deep Submarine Rescue Capabilities

The Indian Navy has inducted a Submarine Rescue System with a Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV) along with associated equipment.

According to a government press release, this system has a side scan sonar for locating the position of the submarine in distress at sea, providing immediate relief by way of posting Emergency Life Support Containers with the help of Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and thereafter rescuing the crew of the submarine using the DSRV itself.

In a submarine accident, rapidity of response is most crucial to safety of life. To ensure early mobilisation, the System has been procured in a Flyaway configuration which permits rapid transportation of the Rescue System from the base to the exact location of the distressed submarine by transportation using air/land/sea vessels.

The Indian DSRV has the capability to rescue personnel from a distressed submarine (DISSUB) up to a depth of 650 m and it is the latest in terms of technology and capabilities. It has been designed and supplied to meet unique requirements of our submarines by M/s James Fishes Defence, UK.

"We have ordered two Systems which shall be based on the West and East Coast of India respectively to provide redundancy, high operational availability and early response to deal with a submarine contingency," the Navy said in the release.

The Rescue System has recently undergone extensive Sea Trials wherein many records have been set. "Our DSRV dived to over 666 m, the Remote Operations Vehicle (ROV) dived to 750m and the Side Scan Sonar dived to 650m. Live undersea matings with different types of submarines along with transfer of personnel from submarine to DSRV has also been achieved, thereby simulating the submarine rescue," it said.

"With this capability, India has joined a select league of nations which have this unique capability and we are now in a position to not only provide rescue cover to our own submarines but also to other friendly nations in the IOR and beyond. Our vision is to emerge as a centre of regional excellence for Submarine Rescue Services in line with the stature of our great nation," the Navy added.

The DSRV is likely to be inducted in the Indian Navy by end of this year.