Russian mini-sub rescued Norwegian sub
Norway and Russia created submarine history this week by completing a simulated rescue of submariners from a Norwegian submarine by a Russian rescue vehicle.
For the first time ever a rescue mini-submarine, the AS-34 from Russia’s Northern fleet, mate with a Norwegian submarine and conducted the first transfer between a Russian escape system and a NATO-submarine.
The rescue-and-escape exercise Bold Monarch ‘08 took place outside the cost of southern Norway this week.
- It all worked without a hitch, a Russian Navy spokesman said to Reuters.
The Royal Norwegian Submarine Uthaug was bottomed in 90 meters of water 3 miles off southern Norway near Arendal. The Russian Deep Submerged Rescue Vehicle, the AS-34 was launched from the Russian support ship the RFS Titov.
The aim was to simulate a rescue of submariners from a stricken submarine. The Russian rescue vehicle successfully docked with the Uthaug submarine under water and 12 submariners were exchanged between the submarine and rescue vehicle.
Captain Andrey Zelenikin of the Russian Navy says in a press-release: - Russia has now successfully tested a system with an ability to save NATO submariners. Nothing is more important than saving fellow sailors. We are delighted by the success of this historic event.
On August 12th, 2000, torpedoes detonated inside multi-purpose submarine Kursk, one of the Russian Northern fleets most modern submarines, which sank in the Barents Sea.
The country’s bungled attempt to rescue the submariners shocked the Russian and international public. Back then, it was the AS-34 rescue mini-submarine which failed to dock with Kursk. All 118 crew-members of Kursk died.
