Rt Hon Ian Murray MP, Secretary of State for Scotland visits the new home of the NATO Submarine Rescue System

We were delighted to host The Rt Hon Ian Murray MP, Secretary of State for Scotland yesterday at our Glasgow facility, the new home of the NATO Submarine Rescue System (NSRS). 

Operated and maintained by JFD Global on behalf of the UK MoD and Partner Nations (France & Norway), the NSRS moved to its new home from HM Naval Base Clyde (aka Faslane) late in 2024.
During a tour of the facility, the Secretary of State was given the opportunity to see the entire rescue system including:

- a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) used for the initial intervention phase to help locate a disabled submarine
- the Submarine Rescue Vehicle (SRV) used to rescue submariners and transport them to the surface
- the Transfer Under Pressure (TUP) System which allows treatment of rescued submariners by specialist hyperbaric medical teams
- and the Command Module where the entire operation is coordinated and controlled

The visit also included a presentation of JFD’s global submarine rescue services, including our role supporting submarine rescue in Australia, India, Singapore and South Korea. This aligns closely to the Scottish Secretary’s championing of cutting edge Scottish design, engineering, manufacturing and services under Brand Scotland.

The visit supports the announcement made by the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for major support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) following a historic commitment to increase spending on defence.

The move will ensure more money is spent directly with British small businesses and boosts the economy of small towns and suburbs in every region of the UK as part of the Government's new Defence Industrial Strategy.

The Rt Hon Ian Murray MP, Secretary of State for Scotland commented: 

"It was a real pleasure to visit JFD in Renfrew, and to meet the team working on some of the most high-tech defence technology we have. Scotland's defence sector is amongst the best in the world. Helping to protect our own military personnel and those of our allies - while contributing to economic growth and good jobs in Scotland."

Rob Hales, Head of Defence at JFD commented: 

“I am delighted to see the news today around the increase in defence spending and the boost this will provide to many SMEs around the UK.

We would like to thank the Secretary of State for Scotland for his visit and for championing the Scottish defence industry, showcasing our expertise and his support for the NATO Submarine Rescue Service.“

JFD has resided for over 40 years both in Glasgow supporting Submarine Rescue and Aberdeen pioneering Life Support Equipment for Commercial and Defence divers.

A world leader in the design, build and operation of submarine rescue systems, JFD has played an integral role in the UK’s submarine rescue provision since 1983 and the NSRS since it came into service in 2008.

JFD has managed the NSRS In Service Support contract since 2015; responsible for the ongoing maintenance and operational availability of the system ensuring it remains ‘rescue ready’ to support a submarine emergency at all times. In the event of a call out, JFD also manages the mobilisation and operation of the system to perform a rescue. The emergency site could be anywhere in the world, so it is critical that mobilisation of the intervention and rescue systems is as efficient as possible.  

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