In the event that communications with a 

 disabled submersible cannot be established, 

 the quality of the atmosphere within the 

 submersible must be determined before its 

 hatch is opened. Failure to do so could result 

 in harm to the SRC operators from heat, 

 toxicity, or radioactivity. It is therefore nec- 

 essary to have an air sampling fitting with a 

 stop valve operable from outside of the sub- 

 marine's pressure hull. The fitting must be 

 located within the area covered by the SRC's 

 lower chamber, perferably built into the sub- 

 mersible's hatch. 



The SRC can, under emergency conditions, 

 equalize pressures between the disabled ve- 

 hicle and the SRC up to 290 feet equivalent 

 depth. The SRC operators can also determine 

 if internal submersible pressures exceed 290 

 feet equivalent depth, but cannot effect a 

 rescue at pressure greater than this. Inter- 

 nal submersible pressures in excess of 290 

 feet equivalent depth represent a danger to 

 an SRC and are sufficient reason to abandon 

 the rescue mission. 



The SRC carries portable ballast consisting 

 of lead pigs. Water ballast cans can also be 

 carried as portable ballast. In order to main- 

 tain proper SRC buoyancy, the portable bal- 

 last is placed in the submersible after the 

 rescuees are taken aboard. 



In view of the requirements outlined 

 above, no past or present manned submers- 

 ible (military or civilian) was or is amenable 

 to rescue by the DSRV or SRC, this includes 

 the DSRVs themselves. Retrofitting of sub- 

 mersibles to accommodate these rescue sys- 

 tems is technically feasible in most cases, but 

 the cost and degradation in vehicle maneu- 

 vering and handling characteristics would be 

 unacceptable to vehicle owners. Some appre- 

 ciation for the cost involved may be gained 

 by considering that it requires some $150 

 thousand to modify a military submarine for 

 rescue. Consequently, the U.S. Navy has con- 

 cluded that the only feasible means of rescu- 

 ing occupants of a stricken submersible is by 

 recovering (salvaging) the vehicle. 



Recovery 



Three situations can be foreseen where a 

 submersible is unable to surface: 1) It is too 

 heavy to ascend, e.g., PISCES III; 2) it is 



restrained from ascending due to an entan- 

 glement, e.g., JOHNSON SEA LINK, or over- 

 head obstruction, and 3) the occupants are 

 unable to function. In such cases the rescue 

 device must be capable of attaching a suita- 

 ble line for surface recovery or freeing, i.e., 

 cutting, the vehicle from its obstruction. To 

 accomplish these tasks the rescuing device 

 must possess a manipulative capability of 

 some degree, it must be maneuverable, and 

 it must provide its operator with a direct or 

 remote view of the submersible. There are 

 three systems which provide those capabili- 

 ties; divers, manned submersibles and un- 

 manned devices. It is not the intent to com- 

 pare these three capabilities; each one offers 

 unique attractions which may be the best 

 answer to a specific situation. Instead, the 

 present and near-future capabilities of each 

 system will be simply listed. In the final 

 analysis, the individual in charge of a rescue 

 operation will have to decide for himself 

 what capability is the best, assuming all are 

 available. 



The following capabilities were taken from 

 a presentation by Captain Edward Clausner, 

 Jr., USN, at the Marine Technology Society's 

 8th Annual Conference and Exhibition, 

 Washington, D.C., in September 1973 and 

 entitled Rescue, Recovery, and Salvage of 

 Submersibles. As Captain Clausner ex- 

 plained, the present assets for recovery not 

 only reflect Navy capabilities, they include 

 essentially all U.S. capabilities, both com- 

 mercial or military, because the Supervisor 

 of Salvage maintains a contract with a civil- 

 ian firm to provide any assistance available 

 in a Naval emergency from the commercial 

 sector. This assistance is also available to 

 any non-military submersible in an emer- 

 gency; therefore, the total assets of the U.S. 

 are at the stricken submersible's service. 



Divers 



There are literally thousands of Navy di- 

 vers available who can be quickly deployed 

 and diving with MK V Air Hard Hat rigs to 

 190 feet while breathing compressed air. The 

 advantage they offer, by virtue of their mobil- 

 ity, is severely hampered by the disadvan- 

 tages of short bottom time and long decom- 

 pression time. Below 190 feet the Navy would 

 deploy one of two systems: the MK V Helium 



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