Indian Navy's DSRV Contract

Indian Navy's DSRV Contract

After fifteen years of wait, Indian navy finally all sets to receive the much-needed submarine rescue vehicles in a 2000 cr contract with the England firm James fisher defense. The company who already supplied the DSAR 500 to several other Navy's which include South Korean and Singapore Navy.

The DSRV- Deep submergence rescue vehicles are specially designed to associate with a submarine rescue. these systems are lesser in weight, which can be air transportable. the DSAR 500 is some 24 tons of weight, which can be transported by IAF's C 17 for emergency missions. India has huge sea lanes, transporting via sea is not a viable option during emergencies.

The DSRV comes with two main propulsion and four primary propulsion for deep dive missions. The DSRV can dive up to some 1800 feet. with the diving speed of some 3 knots per hour, usually, the DSRV can dive it's maximum depth within ten minutes. This due to the pressure in waters.

It works continuously for 10 hours, in the emergency like situation it can work more than three days without any external support. In one dive the DSRV can rescue 16 sailors.

The DSRV operates by its own using modern sensor suites to search the submarine in underwater, It also records each and every moments of operations and transfers the same with the mother ship.

Indian Navy is one of the fifth largest Navy in the world, however, 11th when comes to submerged naval assets. Indian navy operates a very low number of submarines, that is only 13 of them, nations like Japan and South Korea operates more submarines than India, and they are modern too. India also plans to increase the number of submarines from the P 75 and P 75 I program.

Navy's who operates Submarines, should equip with proper submarine rescue boats, in a case of any accidents in the Submarine, and also, assist the submarine during development trails by checking its performance. However Indian navy has no such submarine assisting vehicles so far.




In the case of emergency, the sailors in the submarine can escape using the pressurized escape suits, it's limited due to the depth of the submarine, most probably it can be used only when submarine in the shallow waters.

Indian Navy operates a diving support vessel INS Nireekshak, which can assist submarine rescues and marine diving supports, This too limited, the equipment's in the vessel can capable of operating up to 500 feet only. Normally most diesel submarines can dive more than 1200 feet.

India signed a contract with Americans for submarine rescue, that US Navy submarine rescue sailors can assist Indian navy in case of any emergencies when operating a submarine. the US navy will start the rescue service within 72 hours after receiving the distress signal. Indian Navy and US navy simulated this agreement in early 2012, however, the current status of the agreement is unknown, either it's still on effective or expired.

There few more such auxiliary vessel's are under quest by the Navy, one is the Special force delivery vehicle and the midget submarine