Feature 6 | SUBMARINE RESCUE
angles of up to 45 degrees whilst the
China’s LR7 takes to the water
PRM maintains a horizontal position.
The transfer skirt is large enough that
Another advanced submarine rescue system, commissioned by the People’s
mating, hatch opening and personnel
Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), started trials at the Underwater Centre in Fort
transfer can be achieved without first
William, Scotland, this summer.
having to remove any of the fairing
The LR7 is developed and designed by Perry Slingsby Systems (PSS), part of
around the submarine’s hatch. Once the
the Aberdeen-based Triton Group. Capable of operating at depths of more
PRM is mated with the submarine, two
than 300m, the 25ft-long rescue vehicle can transport up to 18 personnel from
onboard attendants will assist with the
a DISSUB. The harbour acceptance trials (HAT) at the Underwater Centre were
transfer of submariners.
used to test the system in a free swimming mode and dive the LR7 to depths up
Once the transfer of rescued
to 60m. Once this part of the trial process was complete, the vessel was due
submariners is complete, the PRM
to simulate a rescue. The fi nal phase of the trials, which were expected to last
will detach from the submarine and
three weeks, were due to include include pilot training.
ascend to the submerged cursor frame
The trials are part of an extensive design and testing process for the
suspended from the LARS. The PRM is
rescue vehicle, the fi rst stages of which were completed at PSS’s factory at
then recovered from the sea and landed
Kirkbymoorside, followed by wet testing in a PSS facility.
on a deck cradle installed on the vessel.
Kevin Taylor, PSS general manager said: “We worked closely with the
On recovery, the PRM docks with the
Chinese Navy to develop the LR7, which uses the very latest technology and
SDS to allow transfer and decompression
equipment, and the vessel is only the second in the world to be powered by
of personnel, and the attendants and
‘Zebra’ batteries, which have a longer duration and mission profi le than their
those rescued are then transferred under
traditional lead-acid counterparts.”
pressure to the SDS from the PRM via a
“Combined with its ability to dive to depths of more than 300m and
pressurised flexible manway.
transport the largest number of personnel, the LR7 is capable of carrying out
The SRDRS concept of operations has
rescue missions from any of the world’s most advanced submarines.”
been developed to support rescue of up
After the trials, the LR7 was due to return to PSS for further checks and the
to 155 personnel from a pressurised
fi tting of ancillary equipment before being delivered to China for sea trials.
DISSUB. The PRM accommodates
16 rescuees per trip and requires two
operators. Each SDC can accommodate
The LR7 for
up to 36 persons (32 rescued personnel
the People’s
and four tenders). Two PRM trips, or
Liberation
sorties, to and from the DISSUB will
Army Navy was
therefore be required to fill each SDC
designed by
before decompression of its occupants
Perry Slingsby
can commence. At least 10 sorties
Systems (PSS);
will be required to rescue a 155-man
capable of
DISSUB crew.
operating at
PRM operators/SDC tenders would
depths of more
be allowed to participate in a repetitive
than 300m, the
sortie only after completion of a 24-hour
rescue craft can
surface interval following emergence
transport up to 18
from the SDC. As a result, a minimum
personnel.
of 20 PRM operators/SDC tenders will
be required to complete the minimum
10 PRM sorties necessary to rescue
a 155-man disabled submarine crew.
Oxygen-accelerated decompression as
part of a repeated-dive profile would
permit 10 operators to rescue a fully
manned submarine. Even emergency-
use decompression schedules must keep
the overall incidence of DCS within
acceptable limits without imposing
unacceptably severe symptoms or
signs of pulmonary or CNS oxygen
toxicity. WT
60 Warship Technology October 2008
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