Viper is a new make of electronic-control closed circuit mixture rebreather made by Carleton Life Support which is fitted with the Juergensen Defense Corporation Mark V Electronic Control System. It is designed for use by combat frogmen, and for diving to remove naval mine

Naval mine

A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...

s which may be sensitive to sound and anything magnetic. Their technology was derived from the Carleton SIVA 55 http://www.carletonlifesupport.com/Diving_SIVA.htm rebreathers.

It is worn in a wing

Wing

A wing is an appendage with a surface that produces lift for flight or propulsion through the atmosphere, or through another gaseous or liquid fluid...

s-type stab jacket which incorporates two breathing bags, one on each side. All of its components are on the back, exposed, not in a backpack box as with many modern rebreathers. It can have a mouthpiece

Mouthpiece (scuba)

In breathing sets, a mouthpiece is a part that the user grips in his mouth, to make a watertight seal between the breathing set and his mouth. It is composed of a short flattened-oval tube that goes in between the lips, with on its free end a flange that fits between the lips and the tooth and gums...

 or a variety of fullface masks. It is designed to be silent and non-magnetic.

Its wearer's abdomen front is clear, making it easy for him to climb in and out of boats and over edges of walls and suchlike, unlike the SDBA

SDBA

The SDBA is a type of frogman's rebreather breathing set. Many of the world's navies and army marine corps have used it since 1971.It is made by in Billingshurst in England. The SDBA is described on ....

 (image) (which has a large absorbent canister

Canister

The term canister comes from Latin or Greek . It means:* Originally, from Greek καννα , a basket of woven reeds...

 across the abdomen front). The Viper has a large cylindrical absorbent canister lengthwise on the back, and below that two spherical gas containers side by side, and below those sometimes is a bailout cylinder set crossways. Two gas circulation tubes go from the hemispherical top of the canister, one to each breathing bag. It has the usual loop of corrugated breathing tube, with one end connecting to each breathing bag.

Three versions of it are made:

• Viper SC Underwater Mine Countermeasures (MCM) Diving Apparatus: information at http://www.carletonlifesupport.com/Diving_ViperSC.htm http://www.carletonlifesupport.com/pdf/Viper_SC.pdf, images: back view front view.
• Viper Plus: information at http://www.carletonlifesupport.com/Diving_ViperPLUS.htm http://www.carletonlifesupport.com/pdf/Viper_Plus.pdf.
• Viper E Mixed Gas Underwater Breathing Apparatus: information at http://www.carletonlifesupport.com/Diving_ViperE.htm http://www.carletonlifesupport.com/pdf/Viper_Plus.pdf, images: front view set showing stab backplate.

• Maximum depth: Viper SC, 55 meters; Viper Plus, 90 meters; Viper E, 100 meters.
• Operating mode: Viper SC and Viper Plus, Semi-closed or closed circuit; Viper E, automatic electronic closed circuit with 3 sensors and 2 independent systems to monitor partial pressure
  Partial pressure
  In a mixture of ideal gases, each gas has a partial pressure which is the pressure which the gas would have if it alone occupied the volume. The total pressure of a gas mixture is the sum of the partial pressures of each individual gas in the mixture....
  
  of oxygen. The Viper SC can be upgraded to fully closed circuit electronic gas mixing for 100 meter operations.
• Dive duration: Viper E, 4 hours at 0°C
• Size: 78 cm = 30.7 inches high; 22 cm = 8.66 inches wide at top; 43 cm = 16.93 wide at hips; 24 mc = 9.45 inches deep.
• Weight: Out of water, less than 30 kg = 66 pounds. In seawater, zero.

External links

• http://www.carletonlifesupport.com/Diving.htm
• Carleton rebreathers at The_rebreather_site