Long-serving rescue submarine replaced

A 37-year era came to an end Wednesday when the Navy’s last rescue submarine was taken out of service, replaced by a new system offering greatly improved flexibility.

The Mystic (DSRV 1) was a small, 49-foot-long minisub able to dive nearly a mile beneath the ocean’s surface to rescue sailors trapped in a sunken submarine. It was the first of two submersibles the Navy built following the 1963 loss of the submarine Thresher. The other deep submergence rescue vehicle, Avalon, was inactivated in 2000.

Neither Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle had to perform a rescue, but hopefully they were both kept busy on all sorts of clandestine missions as popular rumor says.

Here’s a pic of the Avalon attached to an attack boat:

A crewman inspects the pylons securing the deep submergence rescue vehicle Avalon (DSRV-2) to the deck of the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS BILLFISH (SSN-676). Both are scheduled to participate in the NATO deep sea rescue exercise Sorbet Royal '92. Photographer's Name: PH3 Douglas L. Badders Date Shot: 9/2/1992

The DSRV mission will now be filled by the new Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System (SRDRS)

#Posted by Murdoc at 13:07
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