Page 25 - ADT APRIL - MAY 2021 Online Magazine

A Class submarine Kursk in 2000 and the death of its 118 crew members, [ COLUMN ]

following the internal explosion of a torpedo during a drill in the
Barents Sea. It is considered the most serious submarine acci-
dent in peacetime. In April 2003, it was the turn of the Chinese
submarine Changcheng 361 - built following a project from the
Apart 1970s - where an accident caused by a mechanical problem had
led to the death of all 70 crew members. More recently and still
very much alive is the memory of the disappearance in 2017 of the
Argentine submarine ARA San Juan during a transfer. The incident
kept Argentine families and public opinion (and the international
submariner's community also) in suspense for weeks, until it was
officially announced that there were no survivors. The submarine
DUE TO THE COMPLEXITY was located only a year later, lying on the seabed at 800 meters.
OF SUBMARINE OPERATIONS, Not everyone knows that submerged submarines, for safety rea-
NAVIES MUST INVEST IN sons, must always move following predetermined routes and remain
EQUIPMENT AND EXERCISES within geographical areas that can move (Moving Heaven) or be
FOR SWIFT RECOVERY OF fixed (Submarine Patrol Areas). And given the characteristics and
CREW IN CASE OF MISHAPS intrinsic risks of the craft, it is necessary to periodically commu-
nicate (subcheck) to the command that operationally controls the
submarine (Subopauth) and give one's position. If this does not
happen at the pre-established time, there are procedures (com-
check, sublook, submiss, subsunk) to increasingly verify the status
activating eventually the search and rescue procedures, with the
use of all means available in the area (airplanes, helicopters, military
units, merchant ships ...) often also in cooperation with other navies
in the area. It should be added that locating a submarine on the
seabed is neither an easy nor a simple undertaking.
Given that the training and professionalism of submariners are
among the highest standards in any Navy - they are an elite - the
first consideration I would like to make is about the age of the
submarine: the Indonesian boat was built in Germany in 1977, and
delivered in 1981, more than 40 years ago. And the modernization
work was done in South Korea from 2009 to 2012. Indeed, the
Argentine submarine ARA San Juan was also built in the early
1980s. The exorbitant costs of conventional submarines (400/500
million euros at least) prevent many "green water" Navies from
Submarines are mistakenly associated with implementing programs for the acquisition of new boats, and the
ships. Nothing could be more wrong, as a sub- result is often that of using them far beyond the technical limits
marine is much more like an airplane, moving - and good sense - in order to maintain the important deterrent
in a three-dimensional but in a denser medium. effect and strategic superiority in a given area, which derives from
And like on airplanes, any emergency must be the underwater component.
dealt with quickly, to avoid fatal consequences.
Unfortunately a new tragedy has hit another The second concerns the on-board equipment and components
submarine, this time it was the Indonesian Navy (e.g. valves, hull passages or penetrators) up to torpedoes, which
that announced the loss of KRI Nanggala 402 are often old, not guaranteeing the performance, safety and reliabil-
of the Cakra Class and its crew of 53, during ity of modern equipment and systems. The combination of modern
a live torpedo launch exercise. The survival of systems and correct maintenance is essential to guarantee the
a crew is also conditioned by the rapid decay safety of a submarine. The third concerns training, and the need
of the air quality on board, together with the for every Navy to have modern systems in service to quickly rescue
problem of the temperature inside which drops a distressed submarine, when possible. It is essential that national
quickly causing hypothermia. This new tragedy, and international exercises are periodically carried out, simulating
however, must make us reflect and I would like the escape and recovery of the crew from a sunken submarine
to share some considerations, which may per- through systems such as the McCann bells, or the most modern
haps contribute to the debate of these days wire guided ROV rescue vehicles (remote operated vehicles). And
and to avoid the repetition of similar events in in these sectors the Italian diving industries are at the forefront.
the future.
Caio Mussolini
Many will remember the accident of the Russian Former Submariner Marina Militare (Italian Navy)

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