Page 30 - ADT AUGUST 2021 Online Magazine

Proficient cuits existing onboard. The training programme [ COLUMN ] AIR | LAND | NAVAL | SECURITY | JOINT

for new submariners is usually divided in two
parts: a basic course on-ground premises
(where the engineering and submarine funda-
mentals are taught) that last from three up to
in Safety six months, and a further period of apprentice-
ship at sea.

I will not explore the warfare or engineering
specific operative training courses, instead I’ll
focus on emergency training, which gives to
the crewmates all the skills to respond to any
dangerous event in a correct way or to leave
RIGOROUS SAFETY TRAINING FOR a distressed submarine. Skills are the result
SUBMARINERS DEVELOPS INSTINCTIVE of drills and procedures – improved after any
RESPONSES THAT MAKE THE DIFFERENCE event or experience – that should increase the
BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH IN EMERGENCY probability of success after any event that can
jeopardize the submarine’s or crew safety.
SITUATIONS
Damage Control is Key to
The recent accident of the Indonesian submarine Nanggala-402 Survival
brought the attention to the intrinsic sailing risks of submarines The whole submarine’s crew is trained to fight
and, notwithstanding the Hollywood movies, still remain a quite any casualty in an ‘instinctive’ way developing,
unknown reality for the majority of the people. Even visiting a sub- through continuous drills during the sailing, all
marine is more complex and difficult than visiting a ship and it is the skills required to contrast any emergency
more appropriate to consider a submarine like an airplane, instead situation. The most common areas of training
a ship, with all the risks deriving from moving in a three-dimension are Firefighting, water leakage, blackout and
environment and associates dangers. This peculiarity is one of the lack of power, emergency rise, rudder prob- 26-28 JANUARY 2022
reasons why the submarines’ crews are usually trained more than lems, emergency torpedo launch, gas or smoke MAKUHARI MESSE
other navy crews, before and during the period on board mainly presence onboard. Drills are periodically exe-
focusing on safety and emergency that it is considered paramount.
cuted taking advantages of the training centers
onshore also, where it is possible to simulate a
real emergency situation, like fire onboard or
water leakages from pipes or valves.

Most Navies have dedicated training centers,
where all the submariners follow the individual
or team training courses in operative and safety
topics. The most developed and advanced
Navies, have premises with hydraulic simu-
lators of the submarine’s control room, that
replicates the equipment and consoles of a JAPAN’S ONLY FULLY INTEGRATED
real submarine, and managed by a software
that can simulate any operative situation to DEFENCE EVENT
the limit, and analyze at a later time the crew’s
reactions, decisions and response to simulated
emergencies.

Making a Quick Escape BOOK YOUR STAND TODAY
In case of a submarine in distress, depending on
Rigorous Training Without Exception the depths, there are some methods and proce-
Contrary to the ships, the entire submarine’s crew (Enlisted, Petty- dures that can be used to leave the submarine.
Officer and Officers) are made of volunteer. Before joining the There is the individual escape and the group
submarine training process usually, they must pass medical and escape route. The individual escape consists Media Partner
psychological selection tests, in addition to assessments and oral in leaving the submarine from the hatch, with www.dsei-japan.com
examinations. Being a submariner is highly demanding from a tech- a special designed suit [e.g., series Submarine
nical point of view, and each member of the crew must have wide Escape Immersion Equipment (SEIE)] designed @DSEI_Japan_EN
and deep knowledge of the submarine and all the systems and cir- to allow a free ascent from a distressed subma-

30 | August 2021 WWW .GBP .COM.SG/ ADT