JFD, the world leading underwater capability provider serving the commercial and defence markets, and part of James Fisher and Sons plc, has successfully completed the first open sea launch, dive and recovery of the deep search and rescue vehicle (DSRV) for the first of two 3rd Generation Submarine Rescue Systems being delivered to the Indian Navy, the company has announced. The DSRV completed a full launch deployment, dive and recovery in open sea, replicating the operating conditions of a real submarine rescue operation. The System was tested in the harsh environment presented by the seas off Mumbai pre monsoon, an entirely different set of challenges compared to those experienced during harbour trials in Scotland earlier this year.
Following the delivery of the first system to the Indian Navy in April this year, JFD deployed a team of 30 expert personnel to India’s west coast to support the mobilisation followed by a period of rigorous sea trials, working in close partnership with the Indian Navy who provided the commercial mothership and associated trials consort vessels. The Indian Navy west coast based rescue team, who will operate the system when in service, were active participants throughout this phase of the trials.
Under the £193m contract, JFD is providing two complete fly-away 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 equipment will be designed, manufactured, integrated and tested by JFD prior to shipping to India for final commissioning and trials. With this additional contract, JFD will be delivering submarine rescue services to 6 of the most advanced navies in the world confirming the company’s leadership in this elite niche.
The JFD team has already begun conducting in-depth training with local teams of engineers to operate and maintain the systems, employing the knowledge it has gained through years of operating world-class submarine rescue services with navies across the world and creating an indigenous expert submarine rescue capability. JFD provides fast, safe and reliable subsea rescue services, solutions products, engineering services and training to 80 countries and 33 of the world’s navies including the Royal Navy, Australian, Singapore, and Korean Navies, as well as providing the NATO Submarine Rescue System.
