VESSEL REVIEW | Spanish Navy acquires ROV for submarine rescue missions

Swedish unmanned systems specialist Saab Seaeye has supplied a mid-size remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to the Spanish Navy for use in rescuing crews from distressed submerged submarines.

The NATO Support and Procurement Agency acquired the electric-powered ROV for the Spanish Navy to fulfill the responsibilities of the International Submarine Escape and Rescue Liaison Office and provide diving support.

Saab Seaeye said the ROV can locate and survey a distressed submarine using its array of sonar systems and cameras to provide both colour zoom and low-light black and white video images for rescue planners. In urgent rescue situations, it can work continuously 24 hours a day, for days on end in challenging conditions.

To help keep the crew alive, the ROV can transport and insert pods carrying emergency life support stores into the submarine and then attach ventilation hoses. For debris clearance, the craft is fitted with powerful work-class manipulators along with a rotary disc cutter and a 38mm anvil cutter. The craft has a total payload capacity of 200 kilograms, and the payload is placed on specially designed sliding trays equipped with survey sensors or tooling options. The ROV can be deployed even in harsh environments at depths of up to 3,000 metres.

The complete package from Saab Seaeye also includes a tether management system, which acts as a subsea launch and recovery system (LARS) for the ROV and from which it is deployed when reaching operational depth. Umbilical cables and handling systems are also significantly smaller and lighter, leading to lower requirements for deck loading, a smaller deck footprint, smaller vessel requirements, and reduced transportation needs.

Included in the package is a pilot's control cabin. Saab Seaeye said the entire system is in the process of being certified for air transportation aboard an A400M military cargo aircraft to enable submarine rescue operations to be performed even in other locations globally.

The craft manoeuvres with the aid of 11 thrusters while an intelligent control system ensures manoeuvrability even in strong currents. Saab Seaeye said the intelligent control system offers pilots better handling characteristics – including pitch and roll stabilisation – for high-quality survey data whilst delivering stable flight even when fitted with large tools and transporting heavy loads. Compared to a hydraulic unmanned vehicle, the ROV is also acoustically quieter, allowing it to acquire more accurate sonar data.

The control system gives clear and enhanced information to the operator and pilot whilst independently managing each device on the ROV, including auto redundancy, to ensure the vehicle keeps working even after suffering equipment damage.

The ROV is versatile enough to also be used for other missions such as salvage operations and underwater reconnaissance.

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