Escape tests begin

SERS Project manager Mark Eglinton with Harvey Stafford in front of the skid used to transport the launch and recovery system. Photos by Lisa Buss.

Part of the ASRV is lowered onto its trailer.

By Deanna Nott

Australia’s upgraded submarine escape and rescue equipment will be put to the test during an exercise off the coast of Western Australia later this month.

The equipment, operated by Australian Submarine Corporation’s Submarine Escape and Rescue Service (SERS), has been loaded onto trucks and transported from Adelaide to Western Australia. It will be used during Exercise Black Carillon 03-1, an exercise designed to practise the rescue of submariners at sea.

“We have just completed a large enhancement program that will improve our ability to launch and recover the Remora vehicle in high sea conditions,” said SERS project manager Mark Eglinton.

“The enhancement program has concentrated on protecting the umbilical and Australian Submarine Rescue Vehicle (ASRV) so there is less potential for damage from the heave of waves during deployment and recovery.”

The umbilical is the cable that connects the mother ship providing power and communications to the ASRV (commonly called the Remora).

“We have also changed the high pressure unit pumps for the launch and recovery system and put in programmable logical control that will improve our operations and reliability,” said Mr Eglinton.

“The enhancement program has also involved the installation of a new cursor beam, which enables us to dock the ASRV into the launch and recovery system at any angle. This is a great advantage when recovering the ASRV in high side currents to the mothership’s heading.

“The enhancements program introduces fixed floats onto the umbilical removing the requirement for the ASRV to surface after launch for fitting loose floats to the umbilical. This improves safety and efficiency during deployment of the ASRV.”

SERS personnel are contracted by the Royal Australian Navy to mobilise the escape and rescue equipment if a submarine sank to the seabed, or became a ‘disabled submarine’.

“We are contracted to mobilise the SERS equipment, approximately160 tonnes filling 13 40-ft trailers, out of the gate of our Adelaide headquarters within 12 hours of the distress call from MHQ,” said Mr Eglinton.

“The trucks will be escorted by police to the closest port of debarkation to the disabled submarines location where we will meet with the mother ship. Within 24 hours of arriving at the mother ship ASC are contracted to have the SERS equipment fastened ready to sail and search for the disabled submarine, with the help of other Navy vessels in the area.

“Once the disabled submarine has been located we go into recovery mode to rescue the submariners six at a time, taking approximately two hours per evolution.”

If the submariners are at elevated pressure due to the accident then they will be transferred from the ASRV into the 12-man transfer under pressure chamber and move through one of two 36-man recompression chambers in accordance with the decompression tables.

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