How the US Navy deploys deep sea submarine rescue vehicles

What happens when a submarine sinks to the bottom

A commander confirms the location of a disabled submarine on the seafloor, triggering immediate mobilization of the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle crew.

When a Navy Submarine Sinks to the Ocean Floor

The outer hull is completely flooded with seawater

The outer hull of the DSRV allows seawater to freely flood through, while three internal pressure spheres keep the crew and rescued sailors safe from extreme ocean depth.

The Secret Interior of a Deep Sea Rescue Sub

How to airlift an entire 35-ton rescue submarine

A 35-ton deep sea rescue sub is loaded directly into the belly of a USAF C-141 Starlifter cargo aircraft for emergency rapid deployment.

Air-Lifting a 35-Ton Submarine Across the World

A rescue sub riding piggyback on a nuclear submarine

At a forward port, the DSRV is mounted directly onto the deck of a nuclear mother submarine before diving into the open ocean.

Riding Piggyback on a Nuclear Submarine

Locating a disabled submarine in deep water

The Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle locates a disabled submarine on the ocean floor using passive listening and directional hydrophones before deploying homing transponders.

Finding a Sunken Sub in Complete Darkness

Docking a rescue sub thousands of feet underwater

A rescue submersible aligns with the distressed submarine hatch, absorbs the docking impact with shock rings, and pumps out seawater to create an airtight seal.

Undersea Submarine Docking at Full Depth

Equalizing pressure to evacuate stranded sailors

Rescuers match internal atmospheric pressures before opening the submarine hatch, offload critical life support supplies, and evacuate up to 24 sailors per dive.

Evacuating Stranded Sailors from the Depths

Emergency survival systems on a deep sea rescue submarine

An exploration of emergency escape mechanisms designed into rescue submersibles, including jettisoning robotic arms, shedding cameras, dropping ballast, and activating independent life support spheres.

Built-In Failsafes of Deep Ocean Submarines

A rapid breakdown of the operational protocol required to extract trapped crews from disabled submarines on the ocean floor.

Six Critical Phases of a Submarine Rescue Mission

A commanding statement outlining the fundamental directive of naval rescue units: ship salvage is secondary, saving lives is paramount.

The Number One Priority in Deep Sea Disasters

[01:13] When a Navy Submarine Sinks to the Ocean Floor
[02:41] The Secret Interior of a Deep Sea Rescue Sub
[05:02] Air-Lifting a 35-Ton Submarine Across the World
[06:04] Riding Piggyback on a Nuclear Submarine
[09:23] Finding a Sunken Sub in Complete Darkness
[11:22] Undersea Submarine Docking at Full Depth
[12:30] Evacuating Stranded Sailors from the Depths
[14:35] Built-In Failsafes of Deep Ocean Submarines
[15:03] Six Critical Phases of a Submarine Rescue Mission
[16:09] The Number One Priority in Deep Sea Disasters

How the US Navy deploys deep sea submarine rescue vehicles

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