Australian Submarine Rescue Vehicle Remora
Encyclopedia
Australian Submarine Rescue Vehicle Remora (ASRV Remora) was a submarine rescue vehicle
used by the Royal Australian Navy
between 1995 and 2006.
Remora was constructed by Canadian company OceanWorks International for the RAN, based on a diving bell
. The 16.5 tonne vehicle is designed to mate with a submarine's escape tower
, and can do this even if the submarine had rolled up to 60 degrees from vertical. The vehicle can operate at depths over 500 metres (1,640.4 ft), and is generally used if the stricken submarine is below 180 metres (590.6 ft) (the maximum depth Submarine Escape Immersion Equipment
can be used at). The submersible carries seven people: the operator and six passengers. Those aboard Remora are kept under about five bars
of pressure, and rescued submariners exit into one of two 36-man recompression chambers carried aboard the rescue ship. Remora can be controlled from a containerised facility aboard the rescue ship, with power, control, and sensors fed through an armoured umbilical cable. The entire setup (Remora, control centre, and recompression chambers) can be transported by road or sea, and can be loaded into a C-130 Hercules
aircraft. The Defence Maritime Services
tender Seahorse Spirit was designated the main tender for Remora, although any vessel capable of carring the equipment can be used. The name comes from the remora
, a small fish that can attach itself to larger marine life, and has the backronym
"Really Excellent Method Of Rescuing Aussie
s".
In December 2006, the umbilical cable parted during an exercise off Perth, trapping two men at a depth of 140 metres (459.3 ft) for 12 hours. The men were rescued, but Remora was not recovered until April 2007. The submersible was sent back to OceanWorks for repairs. Although completed, Remora did not reenter service as the Det Norske Veritas
classification society refused to certify the submersible as the launch and recovery equipment did not meet updated safety standards. As of the end of 2008, Remora was in storage at Henderson, Western Australia
. To cover the capability loss, the Department of Defence
arranged for the British LR5
submersible to be flown to Australia if submarine rescue was required. In June 2009, LR5 was relocated to Australia on lease.
Remora was the basis for the United States Navy's Submarine Rescue Diving Recompression System
.
Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle
A Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle is a type of Deep Submergence Vehicle used for rescue of downed submarines and clandestine missions. While DSRV is the term most often used by the United States Navy other nations have different designations for their vehicles.- Chinese models :The People's...
used by the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
between 1995 and 2006.
Remora was constructed by Canadian company OceanWorks International for the RAN, based on a diving bell
Diving bell
A diving bell is a rigid chamber used to transport divers to depth in the ocean. The most common types are the wet bell and the closed bell....
. The 16.5 tonne vehicle is designed to mate with a submarine's escape tower
Escape trunk
An escape trunk is a small compartment on a submarine which provides a means for crew to escape from a downed submarine; it operates on a principle similar to an airlock, in that it allows the transfer of persons or objects between two areas of different pressure.-Principle of operation:The water...
, and can do this even if the submarine had rolled up to 60 degrees from vertical. The vehicle can operate at depths over 500 metres (1,640.4 ft), and is generally used if the stricken submarine is below 180 metres (590.6 ft) (the maximum depth Submarine Escape Immersion Equipment
Submarine Escape Immersion Equipment
Submarine Escape Immersion Equipment MK-10, also known as Submarine Escape and Immersion Equipment is whole-body suit and one-man life raft, designed by British company RFD Beaufort Limited, that allows submariners to escape from a sunken submarine. The suit provides protection against hypothermia...
can be used at). The submersible carries seven people: the operator and six passengers. Those aboard Remora are kept under about five bars
Bar (unit)
The bar is a unit of pressure equal to 100 kilopascals, and roughly equal to the atmospheric pressure on Earth at sea level. Other units derived from the bar are the megabar , kilobar , decibar , centibar , and millibar...
of pressure, and rescued submariners exit into one of two 36-man recompression chambers carried aboard the rescue ship. Remora can be controlled from a containerised facility aboard the rescue ship, with power, control, and sensors fed through an armoured umbilical cable. The entire setup (Remora, control centre, and recompression chambers) can be transported by road or sea, and can be loaded into a C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
aircraft. The Defence Maritime Services
Defence Maritime Services
DMS Maritime, formerly Defence Maritime Services, is an Australian company providing port services to the Australian Defence Force and Australian Customs Service National Marine Unit. DMS was founded in 1997 and currently operates 8 ocean going vessels and over 100 harbour craft and has around 350...
tender Seahorse Spirit was designated the main tender for Remora, although any vessel capable of carring the equipment can be used. The name comes from the remora
Remora
The remora , sometimes called a suckerfish or sharksucker, is an elongated, brown fish in the order Perciformes and family Echeneidae...
, a small fish that can attach itself to larger marine life, and has the backronym
Backronym
A backronym or bacronym is a phrase constructed purposely, such that an acronym can be formed to a specific desired word. Backronyms may be invented with serious or humorous intent, or may be a type of false or folk etymology....
"Really Excellent Method Of Rescuing Aussie
Aussie
Aussie is Australian slang for an Australian.-Pronunciation:In Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Canada and Ireland, the word is pronounced , with a sound; however, in the United States, it is most often pronounced with an sound...
s".
In December 2006, the umbilical cable parted during an exercise off Perth, trapping two men at a depth of 140 metres (459.3 ft) for 12 hours. The men were rescued, but Remora was not recovered until April 2007. The submersible was sent back to OceanWorks for repairs. Although completed, Remora did not reenter service as the Det Norske Veritas
Det Norske Veritas
Stiftelsen Det Norske Veritas is a classification society organized as a foundation, with the objective of "Safeguarding life, property, and the environment". The organization's history goes back to 1864, when the foundation was established in Norway to inspect and evaluate the technical condition...
classification society refused to certify the submersible as the launch and recovery equipment did not meet updated safety standards. As of the end of 2008, Remora was in storage at Henderson, Western Australia
Henderson, Western Australia
Henderson is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Cockburn.-History:The suburb of Henderson comprises land resumed by the Commonwealth Government in 1915 for defence purposes. A large naval base was planned by Admiral Sir Reginald Henderson, and the was area sometimes...
. To cover the capability loss, the Department of Defence
Department of Defence (Australia)
The Australian Department of Defence is a Federal Government Department. It forms part of the Australian Defence Organisation along with the Australian Defence Force . The Defence mission is to defend Australia and its national interests...
arranged for the British 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 to be flown to Australia if submarine rescue was required. In June 2009, LR5 was relocated to Australia on lease.
Remora was the basis for the United States Navy's 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...
.