Russian Navy Renovates Search and Rescue Equipment
13.08.2012
Text by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service
Photo: arms-expo.ru
Through 12 years since the tragedy happened to nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) Kursk, Russian Defense Ministry and Russian Navy command have made a number of practical steps towards improvement of search and rescue system and training of submarine crews.
Russian Navy's search and rescue units received normobaric diving armors and airmobile systems designed to use remotely controlled submersible Panther Plus in emergency salvage works, search and examination system Calmar, and remotely controlled unmanned submersibles Obzor-600U.
Obsolete diving equipment is being replaced with new and more advanced one. For instance, new multipurpose diving outfit SVU-5 was recently put in service; it is designed to maintain a diver during all kinds of underwater works.
Also, new strategies have been developed in order to improve qualification of submarine crews.
In particular, theoretic knowledge and practical skills of crews arriving at training centers of the Kuznetsov Naval Academy have been considerably improved through 2011-2012.
Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief ADM Viktor Chirkov ordered submarine force command not to reduce intensity of training of submariners. This approach will make possible to keep professionalism of submarine crews at high level allowing to accomplish tasks effectively and prevent incidents.