The Hindu Business Line : Submarine rescue system

A new rescue system to be available to help submarines (of any nation) in distress is to be operated by a group six United Kingdom companies led by Rolls-Royce. The Nato Submarine Rescue System will enter service at the end of 2006, replacing the present rescue vehicle LR5, which was dispatched to the last major accident site involving the Russian submarine Kursk in the Barents Sea in August 2000.

Rolls-Royce was chosen to mastermind the new 10-year project under a 47-million-pound contract placed by the UK Ministry of Defence on behalf of the UK, France and Norway. Although the proposed rescue system, when in operation, will mainly support the project partners, it will also be on standby to help vessels of any nation anywhere in the world, complementing the other systems operated by Sweden, the US, Italy and Australia.

It will be based at the naval base at Clyde, in Scotland. The reason for choosing Rolls-Royce is understandable.

For more than 40 years the company has provided the Royal Navy submarine flotilla with propulsion systems.

Under the contract, Rolls-Royce will provide an unmanned remotely operated vehicle that will locate the stricken submarine within 56 hours to check for signs of life by tapping on the hull and making underwater phone contact, taking air quality management and providing emergency supplies to survivors.

The system will also comprise a three-member-crew operated submarine rescue vessel that will dive up to 600 metres below the sea to rescue up to 150 crew in groups of 15 at a time.