Release date: 19 October 2018
Australian release

JFD breaks records during submarine rescue trials in Indian Ocean

JFD, the world leading underwater capability provider serving the commercial and defence markets and part of James Fisher and Sons plc, has demonstrated why it remains the world’s most trusted, safest and proven submarine rescue service after completing a remarkably successful series of trials in the Indian Ocean.

This means that the JFD-built system is now ready to mobilise from the naval base at Mumbai and provide rapid rescue to submarines in distress (this was achieved just 2 and a half years after the awarding of the contract).

Working in partnership with the Indian Navy, which in March accepted delivery from JFD of the first of two free-swimming submarine rescue vehicles, JFD’s team of highly-skilled personnel oversaw and helped achieve the:

• Deepest ever submarine rescue dive - 666m
• Deepest ever submarine hatch opening - 655m
• Deepest ever JFD remotely operated vehicle dive – 750m

This means that JFD can safely rescue submariners at depths that were once considered unattainable and further shows why it is the world’s triple-0 number for submarines in distress.

The records came during final testing of the submarine rescue system’s capability in challenging conditions off the coast of Mumbai which included a mock rescue from a disabled submarine on the ocean floor.

After finding and then attaching to the submarine, JFD and the Indian Navy carried out a safe transfer of personnel from the submarine to the rescue vehicle.

This successful procedure confirmed the high flexibility of the system to adapt to very harsh recovery situations and means the Indian Navy has now joined a select group of nations with the sovereign capability to rescue submariners in a transportable or “fly-away” kit that is easily mobilised.

“The system was tested in particularly challenging conditions, not unlike those you would see in Australia,” said JFD Australia General Manager, Toff Idrus.

“It is a similar capability to the one JFD provides to the Royal Australian Navy from our advanced manufacturing base at Bibra Lake, in Perth and as we prepare for the annual Black Carillon ocean exercises off the West Australian coast in early November where similar scenarios will be conducted, it gives us great confidence.

“It also shows the importance of having a free-swimming vehicle with a pilot which is able to find and move rapidly into a rescue operation.

“Time to the first rescue is critical in operations of this nature and from our base here in Australia and at other locations, which now include India, we are “rescue ready” and able to respond within twelve hours to a disabled submarine anywhere in the world.”

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