Distressed Submarine Endurance Test
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Background
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Norway operates a number of diesel-electric
two-compartment submarines. An
inherent risk of such operation is the possibility of submarine distress
– sunken submarine (SUBSUNK). A
crew of approx 20 persons may be trapped within the confinement of one or
both compartments within the sub. The
recent tragedy of the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk demonstrates that
this threat remains a genuine possibility. In the event of a sunken submarine, the preferred
method of escape is assisted escape with one of the dedicated submarine
rescue vehicles. US, UK and
Sweden possess the closest rescue vehicles in the Atlantic Ocean.
Other rescue assets include transfer of essentials (e.g. oxygen,
medicine) through special containers or transfer of personnel in
diving-similar bells. Use of
all such rescue assets is trained, within the NATO community, every second
year in the “Sorbet Royal” (SORO) submarine and rescue exercise.
SORO 2002 will take place 20/5 – 31/5.
US, UK, France, Sweden, Italy, Poland, Denmark, Canada, Greece and
Norway will participate actively (personnel and/or equipment) during this
exercise. Norway will
participate with the submarine “KNM UTSIRA” and the tender vessel
“KNM TYR”. While the preferred method of escape is assisted escape (with a rescue vehicle), the submarine crew may anticipate a lag of several days before such resources are available on scene. The submarine has a store of emergency provisions for such an eventuality. However, submarine capacity for extended survival in a SUBSUNK scenario has, to the best of our knowledge, not been formally tested in a real life scenario.
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Objective
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Methods/action
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The project is defined as a scientific experiment and
has been approved by the Independtent Regional Ethics Committee of Western
Norway, University of Bergen, Medical Faculty.
The project has been tasked by the (Head of) the Submarine
Flotilla, Royal Norwegian Navy. The undersigned is project manager and
scientifically responsible. The
experiment is a Royal Norwegian Navy responsibility, but close
co-operation and task-sharing has been established with NATO specialist
boards as well as US Navy Submarine Research Laboratory, Swedish Defence
Research Agency, UK Institute of Naval Medicine and NUI as.
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| On Tuesday May 21st the submarine (KNM
UTSIRA) will be bottomed outside Fredrikshavn and a group of 18 voluntary
subjects, including mostly officers from the crew, one submarine and
diving physician and one senior submarine rescue officer will be confined
within the front compartment of the submarine.
A safety crew of 10 persons, including commanding officer, will
maintain vessel command, control and communication in the aft compartment
and will not be part of the experiment.
In the front compartment heating, light and ventilation will be
closed down to simulate a distressed situation.
As human life requires oxygen access and carbon dioxide emission,
measurement and control of these gases will be maintained with
energy-independent emergency systems (so called “indicator tubes” or
“Dräger tubes” for gas measurement, chemical oxygen generation and
passive carbon dioxide removal by soda-lime or litium-hydroxide curtains).
Exact changes in gas composition will be measured with laboratory
instruments. The subjects
will be surveilled with temperature measurement as atmosphere temperature
is expected to decline. The
subject will be given access to emergency rations of food only, but free
access to water. Physical activity must be restricted to a minimum to
allow prolonged duration of oxygen storage and carbon dioxide removal
material (“scrubber”). A
number of biological measurements (incl blood samples) will be taken to
ensure safety of the subjects.
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Different strategies with respect to air purification
systems and air monitoring systems will be systematically tested out
during the seven days. The
in-vessel scenario will be simulated as safely close to a sunken submarine
as possible. The experiment will finish (submarine surface) on Tue
May 28th, the next days the submarine will be occupied with
operational training with other nations and rescue assets.
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Expected benefit |
| The experiment will be published in the open scientific literature. In addition to providing critical information for survival in a distressed Norwegian submarine, the quality and methods of the study is designed such that data can be used even with other classes of submarine to improve chances of survival in the event of a sunken submarine. |
