JFD Begins Indian Navy Personnel Submarine Rescue Training

JFD, a part of James Fisher and Sons, has started a training programme for a team of 72 Indian Navy personnel on its new 3rd generation submarine rescue systems.

The new rescue systems are due to be delivered to the Indian Navy in March 2018.

Under a £193 million contract, awarded in March 2016, JFD is providing two complete flyaway submarine rescue systems to the Indian Navy, including Deep Search and Rescue Vehicles (DSRV), Launch and Recovery Systems (LARS) equipment, Transfer Under Pressure (TUP) systems, and all logistics and support equipment required to operate the service, the company said.

The equipment will be designed, manufactured, integrated and tested by JFD prior to shipping in March 2018 for final commissioning and trials with the full, certified systems due to delivered to the customer in June 2018.

The JFD team has now begun conducting in-depth training with local teams of engineers to operate and maintain the systems. This training will ensure that, in the event of a real emergency, the crew are prepared to mobilize quickly and efficiently to successfully effect a rescue with minimal TTFR.

Giovanni Corbetta, managing director, JFD said: “This programme will allow the trainees to learn all aspects of safe submarine rescue, from theory through to operation, ensuring they develop the breadth and depth of learning they will need to ensure they are able to protect the lives of submariners around the world.”

Training has been held at a specialist facility, The Underwater Centre in Fort William, with the first phase involving Indian Navy officers and sailors that will start over a period of five weeks.

This initial phase will cover chamber operation, ROV training and familiarization, and in-water submersible training.

After the initial period, JFD will continue training on the operation of submersibles, culminating in cross-training on its own Deep Submergence and Rescue Vehicle (DSRV), following sea acceptance trials (SATs).

At the end of the programme, trainees will be experienced in the operation of a number of different submersibles and will be ready to undertake live rescue operations at sea.

In order to enhance the training experience for the Indian Navy, JFD also teamed up with U-Boat Worx, which is providing its Super Yacht Sub 3, a three-person submersible, to allow the delegates to become familiar with submersible operations, ahead of more in-depth rescue submersible training.