The SRS will be delivered on a four-year acquisition schedule. The contract includes design and construction of a Submarine Rescue Facility (SRF) for training of rescue personnel and Royal Australian Navy (RAN) submariners, storage of all submarine escape and rescue equipment, and mobilisation of the Phoenix Australia team and equipment in the event of a disabled submarine (DISSUB) casualty. The SRF will be constructed at the Australian Maritime Complex in Henderson, WA by Civmec.
Phoenix International will also provide a 600m capable Remotely Operated Rescue Vehicle (RORV) and a shallow water Submarine Rescue Bell (SRB). Both designs will be a joint effort amongst Phoenix Australia in Henderson, WA; Phoenix International in Largo, Maryland, USA; and Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio, Texas, USA. Fabrication and outfitting of the RORV will primarily take place in WA at the SRF.
A second ROV will be designed by Total Marine Technology (TMT) in Bibra Lake, WA. TMT will also apply their design expertise to the control systems for the RORV and SRB.
Moreover, the contract includes the design and fabrication of a robust Launch and Recovery System (LARS), which will launch and recover both the RORV and SRB and will fit on a variety of ships to support a rapid response to a disabled submarine casualty. Melbourne based Thrust Maritime Pty, Ltd will design and fabricate the LARS. Thrust will also design and fabricate the Ship Interface Template System (SITS), which will permit the entire rescue and intervention complex to be installed on a wide variety of ships.
The SEA1354 Ph 1 SERAS system finally involves the design of complete Transfer Under Pressure (TUP)/ hyperbaric suite for decompression of rescued submariners. Sydney-based HI Fraser and their subcontractor, the Italian company Drass, will design and fabricate this system in Livorno, Italy, at the HI Fraser facility in WA, and at the SRF.
Phoenix Australia expects to engage the expertise of additional Australian companies, especially in WA, as the acquisition program progresses. Ian Milliner, Program Director for Phoenix Australia, said, “In excess of 80% of the acquisition phase of the contract will be carried out by Australian companies, demonstrating existing and further expanding Australia’s engineering and industrial capabilities.”
