Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle
Encyclopedia
Deep Submergence Vehicle
A Deep Sea Submergence Vehicle is a deep diving manned submarine that is self-propelled. The term DSV is generally one used by the United States Navy, though several navies operate vehicles that can be accurately described as DSVs...
used for rescue of downed submarines and clandestine missions. While DSRV is the term most often used by the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
other nations have different designations for their vehicles.
Chinese models
The People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
has three Dajiang
Dajiang
Type 925 Dajiang is a type of naval auxiliary ship belonging to the People's Republic of China. Each ship is usually equipped with up to two Type 7103 DSRV class Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles...
(大江) class submarine rescue ships. Each ship is equipped with two DSRV. The lead ship of the Dajiang class is the Changxingdao (長興島, 861).
European models
France, Norway and the UK share the NATO Submarine Rescue SystemNato Submarine Rescue System
The NATO Submarine Rescue System is a multi-national project to develop an international submarine rescue system. The system will provide a rescue capability primarily to the partner nations of France, Norway and the UK but also to NATO and allied nations.The NSRS is managed by Rolls-Royce and...
programme.
Japanese models
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense ForceJapan Maritime Self-Defense Force
The , or JMSDF, is the naval branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. It was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy after World War II....
operate two DSRVs with dedicated mother ships.
- Chiyoda (AS-405) – Chiyoda(ちよだ, AS-405)
- Chihaya (ASR-403) – Chihaya(ちはや, ASR-403).
Korean models
The Korean navyRepublic of Korea Navy
The Republic of Korea Navy or the ROK Navy is the branch of the South Korean armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations and amphibious landing operations. The ROK Navy includes the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, which is a quasi-autonomous organization...
operates a submarine rescue ship called Cheong Haejin. It has a dedicated mother ship. The model is based on a modified British design.
Russian models
RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
is believed to have one vessel of the Bester class and five of the Priz class
Priz class
The Priz class is a type of Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle operated by the government of Russia. There are known to be at least five vessels of the class, several of which were involved in the failed rescue attempt when the Kursk sank on 12 August 2000...
, which was involved in the failed attempt to rescue the crew of the Kursk
Russian submarine K-141 Kursk
K-141 Kursk was an Oscar-II class nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine of the Russian Navy, lost with all hands when it sank in the Barents Sea on August 12, 2000...
.
- AS-28AS-28AS-28 is a of the Russian Navy, which entered service in 1986. It was designed for submarine rescue operations by the Lazurit design bureau in Nizhny Novgorod...
– Project 1855 (Priz class) - AS-34Russian submarine AS-34AS-34 is a Russian , or rescue mini-submarine, which went into service in 1989.-Service record:In 2000 the AS-34 was stationed aboard the rescue ship Rudnetsky and participated in operations to attempt a rescue of personnel from the sunken submarine Kursk...
– Project 1855 (Priz class)
Singapore model
MV Swift Rescue. Launched 29 Nov 2008. Singapore's first and only submarine recovery vessel. Equipped with a deep submergence rescue vehicle.United Kingdom models
The United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
operates the LR5
LR5
The LR5 is a manned submersible which was used by the British Royal Navy until 2009 when it was leased to support the Royal Australian Navy. It is designed for retrieving sailors from stranded submarines and is capable of rescuing 16 at a time....
submersible in a submarine rescue role. It previously operated the Slingsby Engineering built LR3.
United States models
The mode of deployment for these United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
submersibles is: fly the vehicle to the port closest to the incident; attach the vehicle to a host submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
; the host submarine travels to the incident site; rescue. The DSRVs were originally designed to work with USS Pigeon
USS Pigeon (ASR-21)
The third USS Pigeon was the lead ship of her class of submarine rescue ships. Laid down on 17 July 1968 by the Alabama Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Co., Mobile, Alabama, the ship was launched on 13 August 1969, sponsored by Mrs. Allen M. Shinn, wife of Vice Admiral Shinn, Commander Naval Air Force,...
and USS Ortolan
USS Ortolan (ASR-22)
USS Ortolan , a twin-hulled submarine rescue ship, was laid down 28 August 1968 by the Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company, Mobile, Alabama; launched 10 September 1969; sponsored by Mrs. Nels C...
, but those two vessels have since been decommissioned and replaced by the Submarine Rescue Diving Recompression System
Submarine Rescue Diving Recompression System
The Submarine Rescue Diving Recompression System is a remotely operated underwater vehicle and its associated systems intended to replace the Mystic class deep submergence rescue vehicle for the United States Navy...
.
- DSRV-1 MysticDSRV-1 MysticDSRV-1 Mystic is a Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle that is rated to dive up to 1500 metres. DSRV1 was built by Lockheed for the U.S. Navy and launched 24 January 1970....
- Deactivation begun on 1 October 2008. Replaced with remotely operated tethered SRDRS. - DSRV-2 AvalonDSRV-2 AvalonDSRV-2 Avalon is a Mystic class Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle that is rated to dive up to 5000 feet . The submarine was acquired in response to the loss of the so that the Navy would have a way to rescue submarine crews trapped far beneath the ocean surface.Avalon was launched in 1971...
- currently in "mothball" status, maintained by Lockheed Martin, Coronado, CaliforniaCoronado, CaliforniaCoronado, also known as Coronado Island, is an affluent resort city located in San Diego County, California, 5.2 miles from downtown San Diego. Its population was 24,697 at the 2010 census, up from 24,100 at the 2000 census. U.S. News and World Report lists Coronado as one of the most expensive...
http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrservicecraft/details/DSRV2.htm
Operation
The Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) is designed to rescue 24 people at a time at depths of up to 2000 ft. Their maximum operating depth is 5000 ft. Power is provided by 2 large batteries, one fore, and one aft that power the electrical, hydraulic and life support systems. The DSRV uses mercury in a completely sealed system to allow themselves to match any angle (up to 45°) in both pitch and roll so as to "mate" (attach) to a downed submarine that may be at an angle on the sea floor. The DSRV is capable of being transported by Air Force C-5 to anywhere in the world within 24 hours.It is then loaded onto a "Mother Submarine" (MOSUB).
The MOSUB then carries the DSRV to the rescue site where several trips are made to rescue all personnel.
Rescue is usually accomplished by ferrying rescuees from the stranded sub to the MOSUB, however, they can also be taken to a properly equipped surface support ship.
In addition to a number of U.S. Navy submarines being outfitted for MOSUB capabilities, several NATO countries also have submarines outfitted to carry the U.S. Navy DSRV for rescue capability as needed. Both the UK and French Navies have such submarines.
The interior of the DSRV is composed of 3 spheres. The forward sphere is the "Control Sphere" where the DSRV's pilot and copilot operate the vehicle. The two aft spheres (known as Mid Sphere and Aft Sphere) are used to seat the rescuees or to install equipment for additional operations. Maneuvering is accomplished using 4 thrusters and one main propeller.
External links
- Current submarine rescue services, Jane's Information GroupJane's Information GroupJane's Information Group is a publishing company specializing in transportation and military topics.-History:It was founded by Fred T...