Feature 2 | Submarine reScue
Novel life rafts for submariners in service
with Dutch Navy
An innovative containerised life raft system developed by Babcock
International’s Marine Division which is being fitted to Royal Netherlands
Navy submarines is attracting attention from others, both for retrofit and
newbuild programmes.
S
tatistically the chances of a submarine
accident are low, but the Kursk
tragedy nearly 10 years ago focused
renewed attention on submarine escape
and rescue in the event of a disaster over the
last decade. In equipping submariners to
escape and survive, via a variety of solutions,
the need for submarine abandonment as
quickly as possible in case of an incident is
paramount. While many submarine crews
rely on individual survival gear, a new life raft
system now in service on two of the Royal
Netherlands Navy Walrus class submarines
is being viewed with interest.
Babcock’s containerised life raft system
consists of two separate systems fitted to each
submarine, one in the forward end, the other
aft. Each system uses a SOLAS-approved
35-man self-righting life raft, equipped babcock’s containerised life raft system uses a SOLaS-approved 35-man self-righting life
with a SARBE 6-406G-240 personal locator raft with personal locator beacon and SOLaS pack ‘a’ (part) survival equipment.
beacon, and SOLAS pack ‘A’ (part) survival
equipment.
To enable the life raft to survive at depth automatic and immediate when released on The two life rafts on each submarine have
it is housed within a glass-reinforced plastic the surface. The indicator beacon, or personal the capacity to accommodate the full crew.
(GRP) container, which seals against sea locator beacon, is activated automatically Installation is being undertaken within the
water and pressure. The inflatable raft is when the life raft inflates. submarines’ planned maintenance schedule,
ejected from the container by means of a Babcock was contracted by the Royal for minimal disruption to the operational
pneumatic ejection system; having been Netherlands Navy in 2006 to design, programme.
ejected from the submarine at depth, it rises manufacture, install and commission the
towards the surface as a capsule. Only when life raft systems for its four Walrus class Deployment
it is at 5m depth or above does the pressure submarines, replacing the originally fitted The system is designed to save crew lives
sensor identify that it is near the surface, at indicator beacons, which transmit a distress whether escaping from a stricken submarine
which point the life raft itself is activated. signal to trigger rescue operations in the event underwater or on the surface, with either
The GRP container is stored in a cradle that the submarine gets into difficulties. sub-surface deployment from inside the
or open cage structure, located between The new containerised life raft systems are pressure hull, or surface deployment from
the pressure hull and casing and attached now in service on two submarines – HNLMS outside the pressure hull with an external
to the casing via shock mounts to provide Dolfijn (installed during a programmed release mechanism.
protection from shock transmitted through refit in mid-2007) and HNLMS Zeeleeuw Three methods can be used. Internally,
the boat’s structure. Release of the capsule is (installed and commissioned last year). either the existing marker buoy control
effected by a pressure-balanced closed circuit Installation is largely complete on a third system situated in the control room (which
hydraulic system. When released from a submarine, HNLMS Bruinvis, with trials retains functionality, although the marker
submerged submarine the container rises to taking place this year, and the fourth buoy system is being replaced by the life rafts),
the surface, where the life raft self-inflates, (HNLMS Walrus) will be completed and or the existing manual release wheels in both
triggered by a pressure sensor. Inflation is ready for operational service by 2011. the forward and aft escape compartments
Warship Technology March 2010 17
WT_Mar-2010_p17-18-19.indd 17 23/02/2010 15:52:50
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