Thieves have targeted a historically important submarine wreck lying in the English Channel, it has emerged.

English Heritage said divers stole the torpedo tube hatch of the Holland 5, which sank six miles off Eastbourne in East Sussex in 1912.

The theft was discovered during a licensed dive by the Nautical Archaeology Society (NAS) in June and confirmed during a dive last month.

Sussex Police and English Heritage have appealed for help to catch the perpetrators, who may have struck up to two years ago.

Police said removing the hatch and accessing the site without a licence was illegal under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973.

The Holland class of submarines were the first submarines to enter service in the British Navy following extensive trials, English Heritage said.

The class of submarine became obsolete in the early 20th Century and in 1912 the Holland 5 was destined for scrap.

It was being towed to Sheerness in Kent when it foundered and sank six miles off the coast near Eastbourne.

The wreck remained undiscovered until the mid-1990s when it was found by chance by a diver, according to the NAS.

Ministers granted protection of the wreck in 2005 to prevent it from being damaged by unauthorised interference from divers.

Mark Beattie-Edwards, of the NAS, said: "These things are not recovered for their monetary value. They are taken as an item for someone's personal collection somewhere. The weirdest and strangest things sometimes have great interest for people."

Coalition threat to submarine industry: Rann

Opposition Defence Spokesman David Johnston says plans to build 12 submarines in Adelaide may not be feasible.

"The defence industry is vitally important to South Australia's future and here we've got the Abbott Coalition saying that they will not build the next generation of submarines in Adelaide," he said.

Mr Johnston says there would be a future for submarine building in SA, once budgetary questions are answered.

"Well I definitely want to build in Adelaide, but the query is, where is the money?" he said.

Mr Rann says SA Liberals including Andrew Southcott and Christopher Pyne should make their positions clear.

"Do they support South Australia in our defence industry or do they support Tony Abbott, who wants to take the 12 submarines away from South Australia," he said.

Andrew Southcott says he has referred the matter to Liberal Party administration.

SHIPWRECK TREASURE

Istanbul Shipyard reveals designs for submarine rescue vessels

The Turkish Navy's future Submarine Rescue Mother Ship (MOSHIP) will be able to evacuate the crew of a distressed submarine at depths up to 600 m, according to Istanbul Shipyard.

Details of the MOSHIP design given to Jane's on 26 June show the vessel is 91 m long, with a beam of 18.5 m and draught of 5 m. Space is provided for 131 personnel and it has a maximum speed of 18 kt and a range of 4,500 n miles at a speed of 14 kt.

The ship will also be able to perform rescue and towing operations for broken-down, wrecked or aground vessels. Equipped with remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), diving units and an atmospheric diving suit (ADS), the ship can conduct underwater maintenance and wreck-removal operations.

An artist's impression of the MOSHIP design. The drawing shows the vessel equipped with a crane at the stern, propulsor pod on the hull and a stabilised weapon mount on the roof of the bridge. (Istanbul Shipyard)

Dutch submarine boosts anti-piracy mission off Somalia coast

"The Netherlands will deploy a submarine from the end of September to the end of November," said the ministry in a statement.

"It's specific capacities (to see without being seen) represent great added security in the vast operations zone," it said.

The Netherlands, which has four submarines, was the first NATO member to respond to the alliance's request for a submarine to be made available," added ministry spokesman Robin Middel.

Since 2008, an international flotilla of warships has been patrolling the Gulf of Aden, one of the globe's busiest maritime trade routes, to stop Somali pirates from hijacking commercial vessels.

NATO in March extended until the end of 2012 its Ocean Shield anti-piracy mission off the coast of East Africa. The mission was launched in mid-2009.

Ocean Shield is run out of Lisbon, with tactical decisions taken at Northwood, England, which is also home to the European Union's Navfor anti-piracy mission in the same region.

Over 3,000 personnel take part in NATO exercise in the Baltic Sea

Over 3,000 servicemen from different countries are taking part in the international Baltops-2010 naval exercises, which began on Sunday in the Baltic Sea, Latvian Defense Minister Imants Liegis said.

The Baltops exercise has been held annually since 1994 within the framework of the NATO Partnership for Peace Program. It is aimed to promote a mutual understanding of maritime interoperability between U.S. Navy, NATO, and non-NATO participants.

This year, the exercise is being held in Latvia and Estonia and involves servicemen from the U.S., Belgium, Estonia, Denmark, France, Latvia, the U.K., Lithuania, Poland, Finland, Germany and Sweden.

A total of 36 vessels, two submarines and other military vehicles are taking part in the drills.

Sailors injured as swell rocks submarine

Three Navy sailors have been treated for minor injuries after their submarine rolled on its side off the coast of Western Australia.

The crew of HMAS Collins were carrying out some routine tests on Sunday morning when the submarine was rocked heavily by a sudden swell.

They were taken to HMAS Stirling Base south of Fremantle and have been treated at a medical defence centre.

A Navy spokeswoman says the vessel itself has not been damaged and will return to sea soon.

Hell Under the Sea: the world's deepest volcano

A British scientific expedition has discovered the deepest underwater volcanic vent in the world, at 5,000 meters under the sea in the depression of Cayman in the Caribbean. At that depth, about half a mile further down than anyone has ever seen, the water is hot enough to melt lead, and the pressure is unbearable, as if a great family car push down on each square centimeter of the creatures that live there. A marine living hell for the first time we have images and which, however, there is life. The geological phenomenon could be discovered thanks to a deep-diving vehicle used by remote control from the research vessel James Cook.

Volcanic vents are submarine springs where the heated water emerges from the ocean floor. They were first seen in the Pacific for three decades, but the majority is less than 3,800 feet below the surface. For scientists are a fascinating treasure, as the boiling water that flows fed lush colonies of deep-sea creatures, which has even forced to rewrite the rules of biology. According to the authors of the research, study the life forms that thrive in these shelters can provide clues, no less, about how life began on Earth, and even the possibility of life on other planets.

The new vent is even more incredible. "It was like walking on the surface of another world," said Bramley Murton, a geologist at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) in Southampton (United Kingdom). 'The colors of the rainbows of mineral waters, and the blue fluorescent microbial mats that cover did not look like anything I had seen before. " The scientists used an underwater robot called Autosub6000, developed by engineers at the NOC to examine the seafloor with unprecedented detail. The team then began another vehicle called HyBIS.

The scientists will compare the sea life in the abyss of depression Cayman which is already known in other deep-sea vents, to understand the web of life through the ocean depths. The team also studied the chemistry of the hot water flows from the vents and submarine volcanoes geology where are these vents.

US Navy bans smoking on submarines

At present, smoking on US submarines is up to the commanding officer's discretion and there are designated areas on many vessels where the crew are allowed to smoke. However, a year-long study has shown that second-hand smoke is at very high levels aboard submarines, despite air-purifications systems.

Vice Adm. John Donnelly, commander of the submarine forces has stated that "The only way to eliminate risk to our non-smoking sailors is to stop smoking aboard our submarines".

A Pentagon study last year showed that around 40 per cent of US submariners smoke. To help these sailors quit, nicotine patches and gum will be stocked on board all submarines before the ban comes into effect, no later than December 31.

A bizarre-looking giant crustacean has been found after it latched onto a submarine deep underwater and was dragged to the surface, according to reports.

Images of the 75cm creature — which has been identified as an exceptionally large isopod — have caused a stir online after they were posted on the social media website Reddit.

A user of the website claimed to have received the images from a contractor who worked with him at a sub-sea survey company.

"Recently this beast came up attached to one of our ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicle) … it latched onto the ROV at roughly 8,500 feet (2600m) depth.

"The ship he was operating from (and therefore location) is unknown, so I can't tell you what part of the Earth this beast was living."

The user's vague description of the origin of the photo has sparked concerns it may be just an April Fools' Day joke, but experts claim it appears to be legitimate.

"I've seen the pictures, and they are real, and they really do get that big," Craig McClain, assistant director of science for the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center in North Carolina, told MSNBC.

"It's an isopod … It's like the [woodlice] that you find in your garden. It's the same group of animals."

McClaim said he had also recently received the same images from a researcher who had been working in the Gulf of Mexico.

The isopod, which usually only grows to 60cm in length, is a scavenger that feeds on dead whales, fish and squid and lives in deep ocean waters.

The species was discovered over 100 years ago by French zoologist Alphonse Milne-Edwards.

SAILORS training in a Portsmouth aircraft carrier have seen a nuclear submarine up close.

Officer cadets from HMS Ark Royal took the chance to see HMS Vanguard at Clyde naval base in Scotland.

The group of nine were able to see the boat as Ark picked up armaments, and many of them could be serving with Vanguard in future.

That is because all of them, including Portsmouth resident Tim Bateson, intend to serve in submarines.

The 27-year-old, who served for several years on Vanguard class submarines before going to officer training, said: 'I have relished the opportunity to serve in HMS Ark Royal.

'Although I'm proud to remain a submariner, I am certain that the insights I have gained into life on the surface fleet will enable me to bring a new perspective to my sub-surface role.'

While the ship took on armaments, having completed her operational sea training at the beginning of the year, many of the cadets climbed down into Vanguard for the first time.

They are due to pass out of Brittania Royal Naval College in Dartmouth in April and will move on to different specialisations.

For those aiming to earn their dolphins - the unique badge of the submarine service - there could be years of toil to come. But they could soon be joined by female apprentices, as the navy looks at lifting its ban on mixed-sex service. One submariner - the First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope - has been looking at the potential change. And he may be more in favour after the US Government announced that women will be able to serve in American submarines.

Indian submarine fire triggered by battery explosion: navy

"It was due to a defective battery, while the Russia-made Kilo class submarine in the eastern port of Visakhapatnam was performing a routine maintenance," a Navy official was quoted as saying.

The submarine fire on Friday evening killed a 24-year-old technician and two others suffered from burn injuries.

The diesel-electric submarine, acquired in the 1980s and commissioned in 1997, would be succeeded by a more advanced one in the future, said the Navy official.

This was the second fatal accident in the Indian navy's submarine fleet since 2008. In January 2008, another one of the same class, participating in a naval exercise, collided with a merchant ship off Mumbai, had to repair in the dockyard for a month.

EAGLE EYES SPOT A DOLFIJN!

Passing by the spiritual home of Britain's submarine service, a Dutch boat made its way into Portsmouth Harbour.

The submarine HNLMS Dolfijn was snapped by photographer Bryan Moffat as it passed close to the former HMS Dolphin site in Gosport yesterday morning.

Mr Moffat of Elphinstone Road, Southsea, Portsmouth, said: 'The leaden sky added to the impact of the boat's arrival.

'It was also fitting that you can see the submarine escape tower on the Gosport skyline.'

Ban may soon be lifted to allow women on RN Submarines

The change would follow more than a decade of pressure from senior Labour figures for full equal opportunities for women in the armed forces.

A review of the ban on women on submarines was ordered last year, to run alongside a separate review into whether women should be permitted to serve as frontline infantry. Both are expected to conclude within weeks, with the decisions to be announced to parliament later this month.

Defence chiefs will veto moves to allow women to serve as frontline infantry, but a change to the submarine ban is seen as a potential sop to ministers.

Such a change was rejected by naval chiefs eight years ago and could still be derailed by opposition from senior officers.

The original refusal was justified on the basis of the cramped living conditions on board and concerns over the dangers posed by fumes inside the submarine to a foetus if a woman is pregnant.

Continuing pressure from ministers has led to a rethink, however. A Ministry of Defence (MoD) source said:

The source said the proposal was contained in a draft of the review, but added: "There are people in the navy opposed to women on submarines so there is a chance it might not make the final cut."

The new Astute attack submarines could easily be adapted to accommodate women and the MoD said last week that in the design of the new Trident nuclear boats, "consideration will be given to the possibility of women serving in future".

The Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Australian and Canadian navies already allow women on submarines. US defence chiefs have said they no longer see any reason for subs to remain all-male.

Such a move in Britain would give women almost full equality in the navy. Only mine-clearance diving units and the Royal Marines, whose main role is as frontline infantry, would remain closed.

The review of infantry and tank crews was handed to commanders last month. It is understood to conclude women have neither the upper-body strength nor the physical resilience to withstand intensive combat.

Women have operated on the front line in a series of roles in Iraq and Afghanistan — as medics, intelligence officers and with the artillery. There are also female pilots and navigators in the RAF.

Last November, Kate Nesbitt, a Royal Navy medic, was awarded the Military Cross after saving the life of a marine under enemy fire in Afghanistan.

Despite the blurring of the front line, tests in 2000 found women were eight times more likely than men to sustain injuries other than wounds in action.

There are also concerns based on Israeli studies that infantrymen's first instinct may be to defend the women in their ranks rather than to fight the enemy.

Army tank crews are closed to women because of the cramped conditions and lack of privacy.

Geoff Hoon, who as defence secretary from 1999 to 2005 tried to push through more measures to allow women on the front line, said change had to come.

"The starting point must be in principle, in the modern world, that women should be free to do the same jobs as men," he said.

"The way the rules have evolved appears inconsistent. We have to be more consistent."

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China admits secretly salvaging British submarine HMS Poseidon

China has admitted secretly salvaging a British submarine sunk in an accident in 1931, but claimed there was no sign of the remains or personal effects of the 18 men who were entombed in HMS Poseidon when it went down off the former naval base of Weihai.

Beijing has only confirmed that it raised and scrapped the Poseidon in 1972 after its fate was reported by The Daily Telegraph shortly after the anniversary of the sinking on June 9.

BAE hands new nuclear submarine to the Royal Navy – four years late

The handover of the first British submarine to provide every crew member with his own bunk might seem like an excuse for noisy celebration on board HMS Astute, but a nuclear submarine's raison d'être is silence and stealth. So by the time you read this, she may well have slipped silently from her moorings at Barrow-in-Furness and be heading for her new home at the Faslane naval base on the west coast of Scotland.

The exact launch date for the start of Astute's sea trials depends on the weather, and is not disclosed for security reasons, but the submarine was being loaded up with fresh food at the end of last week, and her departure seemed imminent.

The captain of Astute, Commander Andy Coles, was champing at the bit to see what his new vessel will be capable of on its voyage up the west coast, but he acknowledged the delays which beset the project in its early years and led to the long gap since the Navy took on a new class of submarine.

Astute's specifications are heaven for lovers of big numbers – it is 97m long, the equivalent of 10 London buses, and weighs 7,400 tonnes compared with the 5,000 tonnes managed by its predecessor, the Trafalgar class. It has the biggest "ears" of any sonar system in service today, with the processing power of 2,000 laptops. The nuclear reactor which drives the propulsion system is roughly the size of a dustbin but will last the 30-year life of the boat without needing to be replaced.

But there are some other big numbers to bear in mind – the first three Astute class submarines (HMS Astute, Ambush and Artful) cost the Government £3.8bn, according to last year's National Audit Office report, compared with an initial contract for £2.58bn. That report also showed the project was 47 months late, with an original in-service date for Astute of May 2005.

What caused this four-year delay? The end of the Cold War and the gap between designing the Trafalgar class submarines meant a lot of nuclear submarine-building experience had disappeared, and contractor BAE Systems struggled with Astute's computer-aided design. Eventually, in 2003, the Ministry of Defence had to promise more money and help was enlisted from US submarine builder Electric Boat, owned by General Dynamics.

So finally in November 2009, Astute is starting 18 months of sea trials. Rear Admiral Simon Lister, the Navy's director general of submarines, insists Astute will be an "asset" before the end of that period.

The Astute class submarines are being built at BAE Systems' huge yard at Barrow, which employs 5,000 people in the Cumbrian town. The company and the Navy have an order from the Ministry of Defence for a fourth boat, HMS Audacious, and are in negotiations over numbers five and six.

Seven Trafalgar class submarines are due to be withdrawn over the coming years, and seven Astute vessels were planned to replace them.

"It's our intention to purchase seven Astute class submarines," said Rear-Adml Lister. Like all large defence projects, the Astute boats not yet under contract could be at risk from the outcome of the Government's planned strategic defence review. "They will be a huge improvement in capability," said Rear-Adml Lister. "The issue in the strategic defence review will be which capability this country wishes to fund."

With the Army at full stretch fighting insurgents in landlocked Afghanistan and the Ministry of Defence's coffers distinctly empty, what would be the justification for spending billions on nuclear submarines?

"The surveillance capability is very important in carrying out anti-piracy and anti-terrorism at sea," said John Hudson, managing director of BAE's submarine business. "The key thing is stealth. A submarine can go in, do something, then leave, and you never know it's been there." During the Cold War, submarines were used to tap telephone cables, and at present, there is a British submarine somewhere "east of Suez" every day of the year.

HMS Astute has the capacity to send out a launch and recover personnel, although for security reasons neither BAE or the Navy would go into detail. There is also an access hatch for special forces troops.

The "quantum leap" in Astute's capability also has a more human side. One of the benefits of the submarine being so much bigger than its predecessors is that her crew of 98 men will be the first in the Navy to have their own beds. Submariners at present work round the clock and have to "hot bunk", or share a bed with someone on the opposite shift pattern, one sleeping while the other one works.

But conditions are still hardly luxurious. The captain is the only man who has his own room and wash-hand basin. The bunks for everyone else are stacked three high, with the middle bed the favoured choice – the top one is harder to get in to and the bottom one means being close to people's feet, which after 90 days without fresh air is not a desirable place to be.

Each submariner has one small locker to keep all his worldly goods in during the three-month tours. The invention of the Sony Reader electronic book has transformed the life of one bibliophile submariner, who previously filled his tiny locker with novels and kept his clothes under his mattress. There are five showers and five toilets for the sailors. Astute is a huge improvement, but it will still be a special kind of person who can live on a submarine.

A final piece of information that might disappoint devotees of Second World War films – the Astute is the first British submarine not to use an optical periscope. Instead of using what one of Astute's submariners described as a pair of glasses on the end of a pole, fibre-optic cables will stream footage down to TV screens.

Submarine's final sailing to base

The Royal Navy's nuclear-powered submarine HMS Trafalgar has sailed into its Devon base for the final time.

Devonport-based Trafalgar is the fifth Royal Navy vessel to bear the historic name and was the first British submarine to circumnavigate the globe.

Trafalgar will become the ninth decommissioned submarine to be stored in Plymouth while an ongoing MoD study decides how to dispose of them.

HMS Trafalgar, which can have a complement of up to 130 officers and crew, was the first of what was a fleet of seven Trafalgar class nuclear-powered hunter-killer submarines.

It was built at the Barrow-in-Furness yard of Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering and was launched in July 1981.

An official decommissioning ceremony will take place on 4 December. It will be the first vessel of her class to be taken out of service.

Her commanding officer, Commander Charlie Shepherd, said the final homecoming was a poignant moment.

He said: "The feeling of everyone, including me, as we came in today for the final time was a mixture of pride and sorrow."

He added that there was a feeling of sadness "because this is the last time the submarine will be operational and some sailors who have been on board for up to seven years will miss their occupational home".

"Close-knit submarines are almost families and this community will be broken up," he said.

Its company will be assigned to new submarines, including HMS Ambush and other Trafalgar class submarines, the navy said.

South African Submariners Escape from 20 Meters

The South African Navy (SAN) achieved a first on Wednesday 14 October 2009 when six crew members of a submerged submarine performed a successful underwater escape from a depth of 20 metres. Included in this group were the Operations Officer and Coxswain of the submarine used for the exercise, the SAS Charlotte Maxeke.

Submarine safety is a major focus for the SA Navy and its submarine community and Wednesday's exercise was the result of the SAN hosting the NATO Submarine Escape & Rescue Working Group (SMERWG) conference in Cape Town in May.

Planning commenced in June for an exercise developed around the most likely scenario to be encountered by a SAN submarine. This scenario would be a submarine with a ruptured ballast tank, but with the pressure hull still intact in shallow water, unable to come to the surface.

The six escapees were specially chosen for the trial and they received advanced training in order to ensure their safety, in what was termed as a first-of-class trial.

The procedure was tested ashore and the drill was integrated into the submarine during an alongside training phase in the first week of October.

The procedure involves a crewmember entering the sail (conning tower) of the submarine, which was then flooded.

The outer hatch is then opened, allowing the crew to exit the submarine, close the hatch and reach the surface with the aid of a portable breathing canister.

The sail is then drained of water, allowing the next crewmember to enter the compartment.

The SAS Charlotte Maxeke proceeded to sea on Monday to test the procedure without escapees.

On Tuesday the submarine was bottomed in the outer basin of the Simons Town naval base and in very controlled conditions the drill was practiced from the 'stricken submarine'.

The trial was successful and the six escapees managed to escape from the submarine.

On Wednesday the boat bottomed in Simons Bay in 20m of water and the whole procedure was successfully tested.

NSRS ON TRIALS

Looking more like a prop from a Bond movie or the TV series Stingray, a sinister-looking craft was lowered into the dark waters of a sea loch yesterday.

But despite appearances, the 30-ton submersible that disappeared below the surface of Loch Linnhe at Fort William is a life-saver, designed to descend to great depths to save crew on board stricken submarines worldwide.

The Nato Submarine Rescue System (NSRS) is one of the world's most advanced rescue submersibles and was undergoing a series of training exercises and simulated rescues at the Underwater Centre, Fort William, as part of a week-long schedule for new crew members.

The Nato craft, costing £75million to design, build and operate for the next decade, could be rushed to any corner of the globe at a moment's notice to assist submariners in trouble.

The NSRS, designed and built by a consortium led by Rolls Royce, is a free-swimming electric-powered rescue vehicle with a crew of three, and can rescue 12 people at a time. Capable of diving to more than 2,000ft and coping with pressures of five bars, she has an innovative communication system in a fibre-optic cable connected to the surface mother ship.

The Underwater Centre waters allowed the rescue sub to be tested at depths of almost 500ft, deeper than most parts of the North Sea.

During yesterday's exercise the NSRS homed in on an underwater target representing a stricken submarine 160ft under the surface to test the "mating process" – where the soft seal of the rescue vehicle should stick to the universally-designed escape hatch of the helpless sub.

Underwater centre general manager Steve Ham said: "We have the full package for trials and testing, as well as the natural facilities of our Loch Linnhe site, where we have a fully-equipped pier complex which provides an excellent range of facilities.

"The rescue trials focused on the mating process, which is the most complex and difficult part of a submarine rescue, and our highly-experienced instructors and divers provided valuable support to the NSRS team throughout.

"We are delighted to have attracted the trials of the NSRS as it is a highly prestigious and exciting project."

Built in Glasgow, the NSRS is designed to replace the ageing LR5, involved in the rescue attempt on the ill-fated Russian submarine the K141 Kursk, in August 2000. The pilot on board the LR5 that day said he believed lives could have been saved had they had the new NSRS.

US NAVY CONSIDER ALLOWING WOMEN ON SUBMARINES

ST. MARYS, Ga. — Submariners sleep nine to a bunk room. There are four showers and seven toilets for the roughly 140 enlisted men. The passageways on board the vessel are so narrow that crew members can barely squeeze by each other without touching.

The Navy is considering allowing women to serve aboard submarines for the first time, 16 years after bringing female sailors onto surface combat ships.

Some sailors and wives warn that putting men and women together in extremely close quarters underwater for weeks at a time is just asking for sexual harassment cases and wrecked marriages. But supporters of the idea say it is a matter of fairness and equal opportunity, and what worked on ships can work in subs.

"There's just a whole lot less privacy on board a submarine," said retired Navy Capt. Mike McKinnon, commanding officer of the Kings Bay sub base near St. Marys from 2004-07 and a former skipper of the submarine USS Kentucky. "But I think grown adults and professionally minded people can deal with those issues."

Over the past two weeks, top leaders at the Pentagon have said they are considering ending another in the dwindling number of military specialties reserved for men only. Officials said a decision could come soon, and women could be aboard subs by 2011.

The Navy will have to work through a host of issues first. Would men and women get separate bathrooms and sleeping quarters, as is already done aboard surface ships? Would the process of integrating subs begin with female officers, followed by enlisted women? What would happen if a woman discovered at sea that she was pregnant?

"If women can be on space shuttles and on surface ships, I think they ought to be able to work on submarines," said Lisa Goins, who retired in February after a 20-year Navy career. She served aboard aircraft carriers and at the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Kings Bay is the East Coast base for the Navy's Ohio-class submarines, which are armed with Trident nuclear missiles and go on 77-day tours of duty underwater. The 18 Ohio-class subs would probably be the first to take on women since they are the largest in the undersea fleet, 200 feet longer than the Navy's fast-attack submarines.

Still, at 560 feet, Ohio-class subs are a tight fit for their 160-man crews. Sailors sleep in cramped bunk rooms roughly the size of walk-in closets. The 140 enlisted men share two bathrooms. (The officers have separate facilities.)

The passageways and hatches are so narrow that those aboard are always rubbing up against each other — a situation played for laughs in the 1959 Cary Grant comedy "Operation Petticoat," in which a World War II sub rescues a group of stranded Army nurses.

The Associated Press sought permission to interview sailors at Kings Bay about the potential policy shift, but after a week, the Navy had yet to give its approval. Sailors contacted outside the base would not comment.

On blogs and online networking sites, wives of submariners have warned that the close contact could lead to sexual temptation and other complications.

"I completely believe this would put strain on some relationships because there are trust issues," said Jennifer Simmons, whose husband serves on a submarine at Kings Bay. "It's asking for sexual harassment cases left and right. If you're trying to go through a passageway together, guess what — you're going to touch."

The Navy bans "fraternization" between unmarried men and women. Punishment can range from a letter in the offender's file to a court-martial. Navy officials said they had no immediate figures on reports of fraternization aboard its ships.

The rule change that allowed women to serve on combat ships was pronounced a success by the Navy long ago. But it was not all smooth sailing.

In the mid-1990s, the aircraft carrier Eisenhower was nicknamed "The Love Boat" after 15 women became pregnant and a man videotaped himself having sex with a woman. However, the Navy said 12 of the women who conceived did so before boarding the ship, and the three others got pregnant during shore leave.

Officials said the paperwork for changing the policy on submarines is being drawn up and could be finished by the end of the month or early November, after which it would be sent up the chain of command and then to Defense Secretary Robert Gates for his approval. If Congress wants to block the move, it must pass legislation.

Key military leaders have already said they favor changing the policy that has allowed women on all surface ships since 1993 but still bans them from submarines. Women are allowed to serve on subs in a few countries, including Australia, Canada, Norway, Spain and Sweden.

McKinnon, the former base commander, said he suspects unhappy spouses would be the biggest obstacle to a change in policy. He acknowledged that sailors serving undersea together for weeks without surfacing form close bonds.

"I think there's this concern that if you have women out there, they're going to develop feelings for each other and have bad things happen," McKinnon said. "I think that's a natural thought. But the surface Navy's come through it."

He added: "You work with women in the workplace. You should be able to work with them on submarines."

NATO heads north to trial rescue submarine at The Underwater Centre

One of the world's most advanced rescue submersibles has undergone a series of training exercises and simulated rescues at

The NATO Submarine Rescue System (NSRS), which has been designed and built by a consortium lead by Rolls Royce, was tested at The Underwater Centre as part of a seven day training schedule.

A free swimming rescue vehicle which can be deployed world wide to reach stricken submarines, the submersible has a crew of three and can rescue 12 people at a time.

Capable of diving up to 610 metres and coping with pressures of five bars, it also boasts an innovative communication system which comprises a 7mm fibre optic cable which connects the main rescue vehicle to the surface.

The Underwater Centre, based on the shores of Loch Linnhe, allowed the submarine to be tested at depths of up to 150 metres - deeper than most parts of the North Sea. As well as providing trials facilities, it is a world class centre of excellence for commercial diving and Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) training.

Simulating real life rescues, a 'target' acting as a representation of a sunken submersible was positioned underwater at 50 metres. The NSRS was then launched in a bid to test the 'mating process' - ensuring that the soft seal of the rescue vehicle properly sticks to the hatch of a stricken submarine.

The NSRS was previously tested at The Underwater Centre as part of acceptance and proving trials. Last year, the facility also hosted trials for the LR7 rescue submarine, commissioned by the Chinese Navy.

Designed and built to replace the ageing LR5 in 2006, the NSRS is a joint British, Norwegian and French project.

In the event of a submarine in distress, it will be deployed to the nearest suitable port and taken on board a mother ship. At the scene of the stricken submarine, the mother ship, using a portable A-Frame, will launch the vehicle which will then 'mate' with the escape hatches of the submarine.

Located at the foot of Ben Nevis, The Underwater Centre's sheltered position means testing can be carried out 12 months of the year even in the most extreme weather conditions.

Steve Ham, general manager of The Underwater Centre said:"This is the second time Rolls Royce has chosen to trial new technologies here at The Centre. We have the full package for trials and testing - as well as the unique, natural facilities of our Loch Linnhe site where we have a fully equipped pier complex which provides an excellent range of facilities.

"These latest trials are testament to our reputation for offering industry relevant conditions for trialling some of the world's most revolutionary technologies - including the NSRS.

"The rescue trials focused on the mating process, which is the most complex and difficult part of a submarine rescue and our highly experienced instructors and divers provided valuable support to the NSRS team throughout.

"We are delighted to have attracted the trials of the NSRS as it is a highly prestigious and exciting project."

The Underwater Centre is the only training centre in the world that offers the full range of health, safety and environment (HSE) commercial diving qualifications in air and mixed gas diver training, from HSE scuba to HSE approved closed bell diving. It also delivers training in Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs). As well as the seawater dive site with a large range of underwater structures facilities including an enclosed dive training pool, purpose built welding bays, private pier, three barges with wet bell and closed bell training facilities, fully equipped lecture rooms and accommodation for up to 49 students.

US 'to play key role' in new Aussie subs

"I expect that Australia will look to learn from companies like General Dynamics Electric Boat and Lockheed Martin in designing and developing the Collins class replacement," he said in a statement.

Under plans outlined in the defence white paper launched in May, Australia will acquire a fleet of 12 new submarines to replace the six Collins boats in the decade from 2020.

The government was committed to ensuring that Australia obtained a world leading submarine capability, Mr Combet said.

"US technology is likely to be an important facilitator of this capability," he said.

Electric Boat designed and shared construction of the Virginia class submarines for the US Navy and had been instrumental in driving down production costs to enable the US to increase the production rate.

Lockheed Martin was a major supplier in the US Navy submarine combat system, the Collins replacement combat system and supplied submarine combat systems or components to Spain and the United Kingdom.

Coast Guard chopper in daring rescue of submarine sailor

SEATTLE, Wash. -- A Coast Guard helicopter helped in the daring submarine crew member rescue at sea off the coast of Washington.

The sailor on the U.S. Ohio-Class nuclear submarine based out of the Kitsap Peninsula was sick and needed to get to a hospital while the sub was on a routine patrol.

After some tricky maneuvering, the Coast Guard Jayhawk helicopter crew was able to lift the person to safety.

"I have flashbacks to Hunt for Red October," Lt. Mike Seavey said. "Everyone is, because you're thinking is this submarine going to come crashing out of the water."

The Navy won't reveal a lot of details about the crew member or the mission, but KGW learned the crew member is in good conditio

Tireless Tragedy

The family of a sailor who died in a submarine explosion in the Arctic say they intend to take legal action against the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Operator mechanic Anthony Huntrod, 20, from Sunderland, was killed in 2007 when an oxygen generator blew up on HMS Tireless.

His colleague, leading operator mechanic Paul McCann, 32, from the West Midlands, also died.

It comes after the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said it could not legally investigate because the explosion happened outside the extent of its legal competency which covered Great Britain.

Devonport-based HMS Tireless, a hunter-killer class submarine, was sailing under the ice pack 170 miles north of Deadhorse, in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, when the accident happened.

A self-contained oxygen generator (Scog) blew up, trapping the two mechanics in a forward escape compartment.

Post-mortem examinations revealed Mr Huntrod died from multiple injuries and Mr McCann of carbon monoxide poisoning.

At an inquest into their deaths, Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth admitted "avoidable failings" brought about the blast.

Sunderland coroner Derek Winter recorded a narrative verdict citing "systematic failures" in the handling and storage of Scogs.

He said the generator which exploded could have come from a batch of 1,000 which had been stored at a hazardous waste depot in Devonport.

Because some of these failings occurred in Britain, Mr Huntrod's family say an HSE investigation should be carried out.

But an HSE spokeswoman said: "Although there were failings in the way the Scogs were handled, it didn't pose a threat to anyone handling them within Great Britain."

Mr Huntrod's father Alan said: "Somebody should be held accountable. The HSE has not properly examined the case."

He said the family would be taking legal advice, and was "adamant" that criminal charges will be brought.

India to unveil its first Nuclear Submarine on July 26

NEW DELHI - India will unveil its first indigenously-built nuclear submarine on Sunday, July 26th, when it is lowered into the water for extensive sea trials from the south-eastern port of Vishakhapatnam in the Bay of Bengal.

The existence the of top secret project, designated Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV) was first disclosed by the Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta last year. But today, Defence Minister A K Antony told the Parliament that the launch was 'happening' on July 26.

Sources connected with the project told WAM that although there was some assistance from an un-named country, it was very difficult to make the submarine as Indian scientists had even to fabricate some basic tools, nuts and screws themselves. Notably, there has been a US-led technology-denial regime against India ever since the 1974 nuclear test, although now, the US is offering some of its best defence equipment to India.

The submarine will be named 'Arihant,' or Destroyer of Enemies in Hindi. Mrs Gursharan Kaur, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's wife, will have the privilege of pressing the button to launch the submarine. It should be commissioned into the Indian Navy after trials of its nuclear reactor and integration of combat radars and weapons in about three years.

Two more nuclear submarines are expected to be built by the Indian Navy and India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which already has the world's first supersonic missile to its credit in cooperation with Russia.

India is also leasing a submarine from Russia meanwhile to train crew for the Indian nuclear powered and nuclear armed submarines.

Arihant has a mini 80 MW Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR). It will be capable of being underwater for months, surfacing only to change crew or rations, and will carry nuclear weapons in accordance with India's declared policy of a nuclear triad: the capability to retaliate against a nuclear attack from air, land and sea to inflict 'massive punishment.'

India has a No First Use (NFU) policy in regard to nuclear weapons but the Indian doctrine promises 'massive retaliation.'

It is not known if any Indian naval ships carry nuclear weapons at present.

Archaeologists Find Ancient Roman Ships Near the Italian Island of Ventotene

Archaeologists have discovered a "graveyard of ships" believed to have been transporting wine and other precious goods during the time between the first century AD and the fifth century AD.

"The ships appear to have been heading for safe anchorage, but they never made it," Timmy Gambin, head of archaeology for the Aurora Trust told Reuters.

Discovered about 100 meters underwater near the Italian island of Ventotene, the ships were carrying wine from Italy, fish sauce, known as garum from Spain and north Africa, and metal ingots from Italy, believed to have been used in statues or weapons.

Archaeologists made the find using sonar along the seabed. They noted that the island was used by transport fleets as a place to shelter ships during harsh weather conditions.

Ventotene was also used as a location for exiled Roman noblewomen, including, Julia, daughter of Emperor Augustus, who was sent there after she committed adultery.

Gambin told Reuters that the find provides a revealing glimpse at Roman trade, which had evolved from primarily exporting goods to a system of more imports.

The ships remain virtually intact because of their depth, but Gambin said deep water diving in the area could result in a great loss to underwater finds in the area.

"There is a race against time," he said. "In the next 10 years, there will be an explosion in mixed-gas diving and these sites will be accessible to ordinary treasure hunters."

"It is envisaged that a sub bottom profiler will be deployed over the 5 shipwrecks so as to determine the extent of the site buried in under the sediment," according to a written statement on the trust's Web site.

"Furthermore, the ROV will be deployed to carry out more photographic recording of the sites and if deemed necessary samples of objects from other sites will be recovered."

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India joins the exclusive club of nuclear powered submarines

As part of a major project India is going to place its first domestically produced nuclear powered submarine to sea by mid-August and according to experts, this success will raise the status of Indian technology plus becoming a member of the exclusive club of nations with such submersibles, according to reports in the Indian press.

The 7.000-metric-ton INS Chakra is destined to be the first of five nuclear-powered submarines that India is determined to deploy by means of its Advanced Technology Vessel program. The single vessel is likely to contain ballistic missiles and in this way India's aim of developing air-, land-, and sea-based nuclear weapons systems may be a reality before long.

Testing of the new vessel is scheduled to be conducted by mid-August in the Bay of Bengal and will take months, said Indian defence sources.

The submarine is based on the Russian Akula I model. The overall cost is 2.9 billion US dollars and is scheduled to become operational within two years. C. Raja Mohan, a Singapore-based professor of South Asian studies is quoted by the Financial Times saying that "this is a historic and big step forward".

"The project is quite indigenous and it opens the door for the deploying by India of nuclear weapons in the ocean."

Commenting on the disclosure a senior Indian official reaffirmed that New Delhi has no plans to sign the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty, reported the Indian press.

"No sir," said Minister of State Prithviraj Chavan when asked whether India has the intention to join the pact, which enlists signatory nations to promote non-proliferation, disarmament and the peaceful use of nuclear technology.

The other five countries which already possess nuclear powered submarines are United States, Russia, Great Britain, France and China, all permanent members of the UN Security council.

India is one of a handful of nations known or widely assumed to possess nuclear weapons — including rival Pakistan and Israel — that has refused to sign the non proliferation document.

Dalbrae students claim top honours in international robotics competition

MABOU — A group of students at Dalbrae Academy recently took top honours in its category at an international robotics competition.

For the third year, Dalbrae Academy in Mabou fielded a team of students who, under the guidance of advisor Ed Dunphy, constructed a remotely operated vehicle to compete at the International Student ROV Competition. The event, held by the Marine Advanced Technology Education, was held this year in Buzzards Bay, Mass. Dalbrae's team featured students in Grades 10 and 11 — Elizabeth Chisholm, Richard Gillis, Keane MacLean, Bridget Wilson, Mallory MacDonald, Alex MacDonald and Tess Campbell. They went into the competition as the top-ranked team.

Last year, Dalbrae's team came in third in the international competition, missing top spot by a single point in one component of the event.

In addition to constructing the ROV itself and putting it through its paces by taking on a series of tasks, the team had to write a comprehensive 20-page technical report and produce a poster display describing the robot and the theme of the competition, which this year was submarine rescues.

The students also took part in a presentation and engineering evaluation where they described how their ROV worked to two judges who were industry professionals.

Dunphy estimated the school's team spent about $2,000, helped by salvaging parts from last year's robot.

Workmen cause £2million of damage to Faslane nuclear submarine base

Contractors were fitting a new £150million jetty at HM Naval Base Clyde at Faslane when water flooded into vital wiring.

A source close to the project said: "It was being moved into place and workmen were drilling to put in supports.

"There was a blast and water poured into electrical cells causing mayhem. It was a total disaster. Navy chiefs were less than happy.

"There has been wrangling over who's going to foot the bill as it's going to cost a fortune to sort it out."

The Valiant Jetty is to provide berths for six new Astute-class subs - the largest and most powerful ever commissioned by the Navy.

Workmen have been fitting four piles - each as tall as Nelson's Column - at the corners to allow the jetty to rise and fall with the tide.

The Royal Navy said: "There was some flooding and electrical damage as a result. The contractors will fix it and the project will go ahead as planned.

"The jetty is still contractually theirs and it will not become the property of the Royal Navy until it is fully signed off. When we are completely happy, we will take it off of their hands."

Sources at the base say the cost of repairing the damage has been estimated at £2million.

A spokeswoman for Morgan Est, the main contractor on the jetty project, refused to comment on repair costs.

He added: "While drilling was being carried out as part of the piling works taking place on the jetty at Faslane, water temporarily entered into one of the seaward cells.

"Assessors are currently reviewing the extent of damage to an isolated area of cabling."

Rare skills needed at BAE systems Barrow for submarine

SKILLS now rare in the shipyard have been called in for the town's first 21st century Barrow submarine.

Once a skill widely used in shipbuilding, sign-writing is now confined to a handful of jobs at the shipyard.

One such job currently is preparing the side screens which fitted to the gangway rails for the first of class Astute submarine's commissioning ceremony, and for when the boat docks in ports around the world.

Tony Smith and Terry Davies are both time-served painters with extensive sign-writing experience and some 70 years' service between them at the shipyard.

But the last time they practised the skills was on the Vanguard class of Trident submarines.

Mr Davies painted the side screens for the fourth and final boat Vengeance in the late 1990s and Mr Smith painted the nose shroud for Vanguard's roll-out ceremony early in the decade.

Team leader Howard Callow said: "We were asked to make the side screens for the Astute class and the only remaining sign-writer employed full-time, Alan McKay, was just about to retire.

The design has to be hand painted because it is applied directly onto a canvas base, which is then weather proofed using multiple coats and oiling to keep it supple so that the paint does not crack.

Hand painting has proved over the years best able to withstand the weather proofing, and for Mr Smith – currently working on Astute defect rectification after returning from redundancy – and Mr Davies who is now with painting contractor Chieftain/Barrier, it was a welcome return to their old skills.

Mr Smith said: "When we were serving our time only certain people out of the class could do the sign-writing. The longer you did it the better you got, but some lads could never do it."

Now they are looking to paint the screens for second boat Ambush early, to keep their hand in pending the arrival for painting of the draft boards, which show the depth of the hull.

Knowledge sharing key to boosting regional submarine rescue capabilities

Realising a swift and effective submarine rescue capability in the Asia-Pacific region requires cooperation and knowledge sharing among navies.

That was the message Chief of Navy Rear-Admiral (RADM) Chew Men Leong delivered to the participants of the 9th Asia Pacific Submarine Conference (APSC). Held from 22 to 24 Jun, the annual event is hosted by the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) this year.

"Given the expansive waters of the Asia-Pacific, which will make the race against time to mobilise rescue resources and bringing them to bear at the distressed submarine location all the more challenging... it is essential to build and maintain a strong network for submarine rescue collaboration among navies," said RADM Chew during his keynote address on 22 Jun.

"APSC is important for the interdependence of all the navies. Any submarine rescue is going to involve more than one nation, no matter which submarine goes down. So we form connections here (at APSC) and get to meet all the key players from the various countries from around the region," echoed Commander (CDR) Jay Spencer, Commanding Officer Deep Submergence Unit from the United States Navy (USN).

Attending APSC were over 50 personnel from 16 navies, as well as staff from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Headquarters (NATO HQ). NATO HQ is invited to the annual APSC sessions because it is directly involved in submarine rescue operations in the region.

Inaugurated by the USN in 2001, the APSC develops and fosters regional cooperation among the submarine-operating navies in the Asia-Pacific. Singapore is hosting the event for the first time and it is only the fourth country after Australia, Japan and the US, to do so.

As part of this year's APSC programme, participants visited MV Swift Rescue and Deep Search and Rescue Six (DSAR 6) at Changi Naval Base on 23 Jun.

MV Swift Rescue is the ship that carries the equipment to launch DSAR 6 - the submersible rescue vessel that will link up with distressed submarines to evacuate trapped submariners.

The DSAR 6 is capable of reaching a top speed of three knots (5.5 km/h) underwater and is able to reach depths of up to 500 metres. MV Swift Rescue is able to reach a top speed of 12.5 (23.15 km/h) knots with a maximum range of 3,000 nautical miles (5556 km). Together, the two vessels form the RSN's submarine rescue capability.Speaking on the new submarine rescue capability of the RSN, CDR Spencer told cyberpioneer: "We are very impressed with what the RSN has done with this system."

The DSAR 6 being launched from MV Swift Rescue. Together, the two vessels form the RSN's submarine rescue capability

"The RSN has put a lot of thought into integrating DSAR 6 with MV Swift Rescue," he said.

MV Swift Rescue and DSAR 6 was designed as an integrated rescue platform. Upon rescue, submariners will be able to receive treatment immediately for any injuries sustained when they were trapped in the submarines.

MV Swift Rescue was launched on 29 Nov 2008, with DSAR 6 delivered early this year. They are now both fully operational.

The granddaughter of a Royal Navy submariner killed when HMS Poseidon sank in 1931 is calling on the British and Chinese governments to reveal all that they know about claims of a secret salvage operation.

Capt. Andrew Tate marks the anniversary of the sinking of the H.M.S. Posiden off the coast of China Photo: NICK OTTO

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Dyce team win place in world finals of engineering contest

Academy pupils are off to America

STUDENTS from a north-east school will compete in the world finals of an engineering competition.

A team from Dyce Academy won the Scottish finals of an annual international ROV (remotely operated vehicle) design challenge in April and will head to America for the final this week. The Scottish regional competition, which was held at the Robert Gordon University, involved teams from eight Aberdeen schools creating an ROV and demonstrating the functionality of their creation by navigating it around a specialised underwater apparatus in a swimming pool.

Dyce Academy came out top after spending months preparing for the competition and now they will compete against the best designers from schools around the world.

A winning team from each of the 16 regional competitions, which took place across America, Canada, Hong Kong and Scotland, will complete in the International final in Massachusetts.

Speaking after the Scottish regional competition, Professor John Watson, dean of RGU's faculty of design and technology, said: "In addition to being fun and educational, these competitions connect students and educators with employers, and promote the development of technical, problem solving, critical thinking and teamwork skills."

Defence cuts may put Trident replacement plan on scrapheap

The threat of a recession-driven 10 per cent cut in the defence budget next year has raised more doubts over whether Britain can afford to spend £20 billion on replacing the Trident nuclear deterrent.

The Ministry of Defence's big equipment projects are going to be re-examined in a review after the next general election, whoever is in power, with the Conservatives talking about possible 10 per cent cuts across Whitehall.

The renewed debate on the Trident replacement programme was started this week by Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, who said that his party would scrap the proposal to maintain Britain's deterrent with a "like-for-like" ballistic missile submarine system.

Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, a former Labour Defence Secretary and Nato Secretary-General, said that it was important for the Trident replacement programme to be included in a defence review. "I'm not saying it should be scrapped, far from it," he said. "If it was, no one seems to have taken into account the huge cost of decommissioning the submarines. But there is room for operating the current submarines for longer, and the defence review needs to look at that."

If work on the next deterrent submarine force could be delayed by a few years, progress might by then have been made in reducing American and Russian nuclear stockpiles significantly, and Britain could participate in a multilateral disarmament programme, he said. The replacement Trident programme is at an early stage and little money has been spent. BAE Systems, the Royal Navy and the MoD are working together on designs for the new submarine. The Navy insists that the first of the new submarines must be ready to enter service in 2024.

Despite Lord Robertson's suggestion of extending the life of the existing Vanguard-class boats, navy sources said that their hulls could not be kept in service any longer. Their lifespan has already been "stretched" from 2019 to 2024 to ensure there was no break in the deterrent patrol cycle, the sources said.

Lord Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, the former Liberal Democrat leader, said that the MoD was already facing a £10 billion budget deficit next year, and that the Trident replacement programme should be abandoned.

"I see no circumstances to renew Trident. There is a massive hole in the defence budget — a shortfall of around £10 billion within the £36 billion budget — we can't even pay for what we've got," he said.

The Royal Navy's other big equipment programme — the two 65,000-tonne aircraft carriers, costing £3.9 billion — will also be included in the defence review. But by the end of this year, £1 billion will have been spent on the project, and the steel-cutting of the first ship is due to take place next month.

Admiral Lord Boyce, who retired as Chief of the Defence Staff in 2003, told The Times that if a future government decided to scrap the Trident replacement, the Navy's current four Vanguard-class submarines should be recalled immediately.

"My personal view is that if the Government were to decide not to have a deterrent in the future, then it should order the Trident submarines home," he said. "All Trident operations should stop. You can't have a government announcing the end of the deterrent from 2024 but still maintain the Trident patrols until the end of their service. Once such a decision is made not to replace Trident, it will undermine the raison d'être of the Trident crews."

James Arbuthnot, the Tory chairman of the Commons Defence Committee, said that although MPs had delivered three recent reports on Trident, given the state of the MoD's finances the committee might have to reopen its inquiry into the submarines before the end of this Parliament.

The military is split over the issue. Field Marshal Lord Bramall, another former chief of defence staff, has made it clear that he is against replacing Trident. Other former army chiefs also oppose the £20 billion programme.

However, John Hutton, who resigned as Defence Secretary this month, said: "Not to renew Trident is an incredibly short-sighted view. To do so would be to say that we are unilaterally going to disarm ourselves. What would Britain gain from that? Absolutely nothing."

Lord Boyce warned: "What you can't do is make a decision to end the deterrent and then in ten years' time say it was a mistake and try to reinstate it. The continuity will have been lost and the expertise of operating these submarines will have gone. You can't cold-start it several years later."

Sir John Nott, a Defence Secretary in the Thatcher Government, said: "It would be a catastrophe if Trident were no longer continued. It is fundamental to Britain's defences.

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LR5 ARRIVES IN AUSTRALIA

While having the LR5 submarine rescue system on call in the United Kingdom met the Navy's requirements for responding to Submarine emergencies, the relocation improves response times and allows the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) to exercise the capability with Collins Class Submarines.

"Resumption of the Navy's annual submarine escape and rescue exercise 'Black Carillon', presently planned for late 2009, will allow Navy to exercise its submarine rescue capability," Rear Admiral Robinson said.

The ancillary equipment for the LR5 suite arrived in Australia by a chartered 747 last week and the LR5 rescue vehicle by RAAF C17 Heavy Air Lift this week.

The suite has been at 12 hours notice to deploy in the event of a disabled submarine throughout the transport period from the United Kingdom to Australia.

The current Navy support vessels have already been modified to deploy the LR5 rescue system.

The LR5 has mated safely on many occasions with submarines fitted with the standard NATO rescue seat, which is fitted to most submarines, including Collins Class.

This rescue system complements the international support which would be available through Australia's membership of the International Submarine and Rescue Liaison Organisation.

All these aspects form part of a mature submarine search and rescue organisation with proven measures in place to ensure effective domestic and global responses for any of the Navy's submarines in the unlikely event of an emergency.

Australian Navy bring LR5 in country:

THE Royal Australian Navy has backflipped on submarine safety, agreeing to base a British rescue vehicle in Australia for emergencies.

The move contradicts the navy's previous claims that it was safe to keep a rescue vehicle in Britain, fly it out in an emergency, and still reach a stricken Australian submarine before the crew ran out of air.

The rescue vehicle will be based in Australia from this month. The shift comes after The Australian exposed the safety risks facing submariners because of the navy's failure to fix the rescue system.

The navy has been forced to rely on an ageing British navy rescue vehicle, the LR5, in an emergency because the Australian submarine rescue system has not worked since late 2006.

The navy's lack of an adequate submarine rescue service in Australia was a scandalous case of mismanagement and was criticised in the review of submarine operations by Rear Admiral Rowan Moffitt.

The Moffitt report, released last month, found that the "navy appears to have been slow to pay sufficient attention" to the failures of its submarine rescue system. The navy has lacked a deep-sea rescue capability (between 180m and 500m) for its submarines since December 2006, when its submarine rescue vehicle, the Remora, was stranded underwater for four months after a steel cable connecting it to a mother ship snapped.

That meant no deep-sea rescue has been available for submariners in Australia -- 13 years after the federal government promised to develop an effective local rescue system.

The navy's attempts to bring Remora back into service failed when a key component -- the vessel's launch and recovery system -- failed to qualify for a safety certificate from the global safety assessor Det Norske Veritas. The navy has ordered a design review of the LARS to allow it to regain certification, but even if a suitable design is found it would be at least 18 months until the Remora could be used.

In the meantime, the navy has relied on the availability of the LR5, which has never matched up with Australia's Collins class submarine.

In December the navy claimed it could fly the LR5 from Britain to Australia, place it on a mother ship and sail it to a stricken submarine in time to rescue the crew.

Defence denied that its decision to base the LR5 in Australia from this month was driven by safety considerations. It claimed it had brought the LR5 to Australia to enable the navy to include it in submarine rescue exercises, which are not scheduled until November.

A senior submariner yesterday described this explanation as "a desperate attempt to save face" about what the navy "knew was an unsafe situation".

The LR5 can rescue 16 sailors at a time from a stranded submarine, but the system is considered outdated and was recently replaced by a more modern NATO submarine rescue system.

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Thresher victims remembered on 46th anniversary

KITTERY, Maine (AP) A memorial service marking the 46th anniversary of the sinking of the nuclear submarine USS Thresher drew about 150 family members, friends and veterans to Traip Academy in Kittery.

The ceremony is an annual remembrance of the 129 crew members and civilians who perished when the Thresher went down on April 10, 1963, during sea trials from Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

The submarine ran into trouble and sank to the bottom of the Atlantic, crushed by the enormous pressure. The accident helped trigger a submarine safety program to correct design and construction problems.

The Portsmouth Herald reported that Capt. Robert Mazzone, commander of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and the keynote speaker at Saturday's event, said the accident continues to sit atop the list of America's worst tragedies.

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is planning to re-establish four sustainable submarine crews by 2012, in preparation for the transition from the Collins class to a successor boat.

Each crew will expand from 46 submariners to 58, in an effort to ease the strain on existing personnel, and they will be rotated between hulls, ending the tradition of attachment to a single submarine.

A manpower shortfall has placed the RAN's submarine capability under pressure in recent years. Short-term measures introduced in 2008-09 alleviated the situation, but senior officers accept that long-term measures are required.

In a response to the Submarine Workforce Sustainability Review on 8 April, the RAN stated: "The success of stabilising the submarine workforce over the next two years will be measured by achieving three sustainable crews and a sustainable Submarine Support Group and shore positions. With this stabilised workforce as the foundation, [the] navy will move to a recovery phase to achieve a fourth sustainable crew."

240 fires on nuclear submarines

BRITAIN'S nuclear submarines have been involved in 14 collisions in the past 21 years, it emerged last night.

The Royal Navy has also admitted there have been 237 fires on its nuclear-powered submarine fleet since 1987.However, Bob Ainsworth, the armed forces minister, who revealed the figures in a written Commons answer, said the only collision with another submarine was the one in February with a French vessel in the mid-Atlantic.

The incident involving HMS Vanguard and Le Triomphant triggered demands for an inquiry from MPs amid claims the incident had been kept quiet.

The submarines – each nearly 500ft long – were both damaged in the underwater incident, thought to have happened on the night of 3-4 February.

Although the submarines came into contact at low speed and no injuries were reported, both subs were thought to be carrying nuclear warheads.

The Ministry of Defence admitted the collision only after it was confirmed by French officials.

Defence experts believe the boats were likely to have had their sonar systems switched off to prevent detection, instead relying on sensitive microphones.

Some analysts claimed that the crews might have been effectively playing a game of cat and mouse when the incident happened.

Other incidents included HMS Superb grounding in the Red Sea in May last year, HMS Tireless hitting an iceberg in May 2003 and HMS Trafalgar grounding in November 2002.

Vanguard is one of the navy's fleet of four submarines armed with Trident missiles which are based on the Clyde. At least one vessel is always on patrol, carrying Britain's nuclear deterrent.

However, the SNP has threatened to block plans to renew the warheads by threatening to use its powers to make it difficult for large convoys to get in and out of the Faslane base.

In answers to the SNP's Westminster leader, Angus Robertson, Mr Ainsworth said last night: "The Royal Navy has no records of collisions between nuclear powered submarines and other submarines and naval vessels, other than the recent incident involving HMS Vanguard and the French submarine Le Triomphant."

He said there had been 213 "small scale" fires on board nuclear boats. The navy reported 21 "medium-scale" fires such as "a failure of mechanical equipment creating smoke and flame requiring use of significant onboard resources".

There were also three fires which occurred while the vessel was docked in a Naval base.

Mr Robertson said: "Any collision is one collision too many, especially when it involves weapons of mass destruction.

"The possible consequences of such a collision do not bear thinking about. The time is now right to scrap Trident and rid Scotland of nuclear weapons."

HMS Tireless Inquest comes to an end

A high profile Midlands lawyer has played a major role in vindicating the UK company at the heart of the nuclear submarine tragedy which cost two British sailors their lives deep beneath the arctic icepack.

Darren Smith, head of risk and liability with Birmingham law firm Hill Hofstetter, acted for Molecular Products Ltd (MPL), the defence contractor which manufactured the self-contained oxygen generators (SCOG) used on HMS Tireless and other Royal Navy submarines.

Two sailors – including Paul McCann from Halesowen – died in the submarine's forward escape compartment when a generator malfunctioned and exploded, trapping them inside.

In his narrative verdict Derek Winter, the Sunderland coroner commented: "The SCOG which exploded had been manufactured by Molecular Products Ltd.

"At each stage in the manufacturing process, and at the stage of completion, proper steps were taken to avoid organic contamination, to de-grease components and to ensure the physical integrity of the unit."

He said the firm's production procedures were satisfactory, and the unit would not have exploded if it had been handled, inspected, stored and stowed by the MoD in accordance with MPL's safety data sheet, which contained proper warnings as to the risk of explosion and fire.

Mr Smith said last night that the inquest into the HMS Tireless fatalities inquest held several lessons for manufacturing businesses.

"In MPL's case they went much further than they were required to, and provided all of the warnings with every single box of product they supplied.

"They could have taken the view that they supplied the information at the start of the contract, and that they needed to do no more.

''Instead they re-emphasised the dangers and the correct procedure in handling their equipment every time,'' he said.

"That gave its customers ample opportunity to make themselves aware of what was required in the handling of this equipment, and the dangers involved.

"The only way the SCOG on HMS Tireless could explode was by it being contaminatied by hydrocarbons and being internally damaged by mishandling as well."

Mr Smith said the equipment entered the British fleet for the first time in 2003, but stressed that it had been tried and tested, having been in use with other navies around the world for a number of years before.

"What also emerged from the inquest was that MPL were able to demonstrate that they have very strong manufacturing quality controls," he added.

The coroner concluded that systematic failures by the MoD led to the contamination and damage to the SCOG, resulting in the deaths of the two sailors.

During the inquest he heard that the generator that exploded may well have been one of a thousand that had been returned to service from a dump where it had been stored in the vicinity of potential contaminants.

An MoD official keen to save the government money considered the SCOGs safe because their seals appeared intact on a cursory visual inspection.

ANOTHER CLOSE SHAVE - JUST HOW IS THE DECISION TO CEASE PRESSURISED SUBMARINE ESCAPE TRAINING FOR UK PERSONNEL JUSTIFIED?

SEE THIS LINK:

Damage to USS Hartford

MoD Boss gives submarine rescue talk

A Ministry of Defence official is due to give a talk in Barrow tonight to talk about the task of providing technical support to Royal Navy ships and submarines once they are in service.

The free, public lecture is by Howard Mathers, Director General ,Submarines' Chief Engineer and Safety Director, who deals with capability in areas of engineering, safety and assurance, is at Forum 28 at 7.30.
It has been organised by the Royal Institution of Naval Architects in Cumbria.
The talk will cover the intricacies and mechanics of supplying the in-service support for serving vessels.

MARINE ENGINEER SEEKS EMPLOYMENT: CLICK HERE FOR CV

Hull and damnation

A COLLISION between French and British nuclear-armed submarines in the Atlantic has led to the European powers asking themselves tough questions regarding their nuclear deterrents. First and foremost: should submarines drive on the right or the left? writes Simon Webster of the Sydney Morning Herald

Neither country appears willing to back down. Converting all British subs to left-hand drive or all French subs to right-hand drive would be an expensive exercise, military experts say. Not only would the wheel have to be moved but the periscope, glovebox, GPS unit, ashtray and, in the executive model, the button that locks the rear windows.

Military top brass fear such an operation would leave a massive hole in defence budgets, potentially reducing the amount of money that could be spent on nuclear weapons. Apparently this would be a bad thing.

HMS Vanguard, which can carry 48 nuclear warheads on 16 missiles, collided with Le Triomphant, potentially carrying 16 missiles of its own, on February 6. News of the incident was leaked to British newspaper The Sun last week.

The vessels "came into contact at very low speeds" the British Ministry of Defence said. There were no injuries to the sailors and no damage to nuclear equipment.

"Nuclear safety has not been compromised," Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, Britain's first sea lord, reassured the world. However, it is understood both submarine captains will lose their no-claims bonuses.

It appears the French did not even realise Le Triomphant had hit another submarine, The Guardian reported. France's defence ministry had said on February 6 that its sub "collided with an immersed object (probably a container)" when coming back from patrolling and its sonar dome was damaged.

Submarine mechanics worldwide collectively issued a slow exhalation and shake of the head as they estimated the cost of repairing a sonar dome, which are next to impossible to get second-hand and a real bugger to fit.

"You have to take the whole sonar assembly apart," a submarine repairs expert told The Sun-Herald, before adding something that sounded like "blah blah blah, camshaft, blah blah blah, blowtorch, blah blah blah, gearbox, blah"

Sailor 'risked life to save crew'

THE UNDERWATER CENTRE - MORE THAN JUST TRAINING

Commercial diver training and Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) courses at The Underwater Centre (TUC) in Fort William offers students much more than the certificates that permit them to work commercially. It offer a unique learning environment unlike anything experienced anywhere else.

As well as the range of courses for prospective divers and ROV pilot/technicians, the Centre runs closed bell training, sea trials and technology trials, in addition to playing host to numerous different groups from the Ministry of Defence. This means that, at any point during their training, students can expect to be sharing the water with experts from different disciplines and getting a close up perspective of some of the most cutting edge subsea technology.

This brings several massive benefits to students; just by sharing the same environment as these seasoned professionals, students have the opportunity to gain a greater insight into the industry, as well as the opportunity to build contacts – it's not unusual for students to pick up the lead that brings them their first job in the lounge. This does mean that the pier, jutting some 200m out into Loch Linnhe, can be busy – often there are three or four different groups in or around the water at any given time.

The chance to operate in waters where there are other activities taking place means that students leave having already experienced the kind of bustling activity typical of shared water operations that are not uncommon with modern offshore working.

As part of ongoing work with trials partners, The Underwater Centre is often asked to provide support functions such as diving and ROV teams. This has meant that, for some students, their first job as a commercial diver or ROV pilot/ technician was working for The Underwater Centre as part of a trials team.

HUMAN POWERED SUB!

"Inventor Ted Ciamillo and marine biologist Frank Fish (yes, that's his real name) are at work on a human-powered sub designed to cross the Atlantic. What's interesting is the highly efficient propulsion system which uses a 'tail' modeled after CAT scans of a dolphin's. From the article: 'Ciamillo and Fish say they knew they were onto something when the first prototype Lunocet, a piece of sculpted foam sandwiched between two pieces of carbon fiber, essentially swam by itself. When they released it at the bottom of a test pool, its buoyancy combined with its cambered shape generated a forward thrust that made it scoot across the tank.'"

NAVY PUTS SAFETY FIRST WITH SUBMARINE FORCE

Australia's Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Russ Crane AM CSM, RAN says he is determined to keep the RAN's submarine force at a world class operating and safety standard.

Up to 100 submariners will travel to Canada later this year to conduct pressurised escape training as part of their ongoing safety training program. This is a temporary measure designed to overcome issues caused by a failure to achieve a satisfactory contractual outcome between the Defence Materiel Organisation and the preferred tenderer for the operation of the Australian Submarine Escape and Training Facility (SETF) at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia.

Vice Admiral Crane has rejected media reports critical of the cost of sending sailors to Canada, pointing out that the money for this overseas training does not require new funding. The training will be paid for with money already allocated for training that would have been conducted at the SETF.

"Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our sailors and we rely on contractors to provide us with a world class service", Vice Admiral Crane said. "Defence will not enter into contracts that do not represent value for money for the Australian taxpayer but I will do whatever it takes to provide appropriate safety training for our sailors."

Vice Admiral Crane also rejected suggestions that the sailors would be travelling to Canada in business class and the false impression that this has created. "Any assertion that this is an additional taxpayer funded expense is just not true" Vice Admiral Crane said. The cost of training will be offset by not using the west coast facility for pressurised training until a satisfactory contractual outcome is achieved."

Navy personnel can still take part in unpressurised escape training at the SETF which will minimise the time required to continue their training in Canada.

The Navy also has robust submarine rescue procedures. The recent unavailability of the defence owned rescue vehicle Remora currently requires rescue support to be provided by a major contractor in the UK until the Australian system is fully certified and available. This contractor was recently successfully integrated into ADF practices. "A number of submarine operating nations rely on international contractors in the event of a submarine rescue, Vice Admiral Crane said. "Indeed prior to the arrival of the submarine rescue capability this is how the RAN provided this capability to our Oberon Class submariners. While I am extremely keen to see the Australian system back on line as soon as possible I am confident that should the worst occur, the interim overseas contractor solution means we are ready to respond."

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SEPTEMBER 2010

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Divers steal from Holland 5 submarine off Sussex coast