ARA San Juan Update: Russian ship back in missing Argentine submarine search

Photo: The Russian ocean survey vessel Yantar, © EPA-EFE/DAVID FERNANDEZ

On November 30, the Argentine Navy declared it had curtailed the rescue operation as there was no hope of finding the crew alive, and focused on efforts to locate the submarine

BUENOS AIRES, December 26. /TASS/. The Russian ocean survey vessel Yantar has returned to the area where search for Argentina’s missing San Juan submarine continues after replenishing its stocks, the press service of the Argentine Navy said on Tuesday.

“Currently, five ships are staying in the search area, they are the Argentine Sarandi destroyers, the Puerto Argentino, the Islas Malvinas with the Russian Pantera Plus remotely-controlled submersible onboard, and US and Russian ocean survey ships, the Atlantis and Yantar,” the press service said.

According to the press service, an operation to survey three objects lying at depth of 500, 700 and 814 meters with the use of the Pantera Plus submersible has been postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions. The objects were detected earlier by the Sarandi destroyers.

MISSING SUBMARINE ARA SAN JUAN: CTBTO DATA SUGGESTS EXPLOSION MAY HAVE OCCURRED

The Yantar reached the search area on December 5 and had to call at the port of the Argentine capital city to replenish its reserves on December 14. According to the Russian defense ministry, the ship has surveyed a number of seabed irregularities since it joined the search operation.

The diesel-electric submarine The San Juan, which left Ushuaia with 44 crew on board, went missing on November 15. The search for the submarine began on November 16. On November 30, the Argentine Navy declared it had curtailed the rescue operation as there was no hope of finding the crew alive, and focused on efforts to locate the submarine.

The missing ARA San Juan Submarine courtesy Argentine Navy.

ARA San Juan: US Navy Transitions to Search & Recovery for Missing Submarine

US Navy Transitions to Search and Recovery in Search for ARA San Juan


Story Number: NNS171201-23Release Date: 12/1/2017

By Lt. Lyndsi Gutierrez, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet Public Affairs

MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) — Two U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon aircraft, the Submarine Rescue Chamber (SRC) and the Pressurized Rescue Module (PRM) from the Undersea Rescue Command that were assisting Argentina in the search for Argentine submarine, ARA San Juan, completed operations Nov 30.

MISSING SUBMARINE ARA SAN JUAN: CTBTO DATA SUGGESTS EXPLOSION MAY HAVE OCCURRED

Continuing with the transition of operations to search and recovery, the U.S. Navy deployed the Cable operated Unmanned Recovery Vehicle (CURV) 21 to support the ongoing Argentine search efforts onboard R/V Atlantis.

The CURV-21 is a 6,400-pound Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) that is designed to meet the U.S. Navy’s deep ocean salvage requirements down to a maximum depth of 20,000 feet of seawater, and is due to arrive in Argentina, Dec. 1.

CURV21 courtesy Phoenix International.

COMODORO RIVADAVIA, ARGENTINA
12.01.2017. Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Lange, Commander, Submarine Squadron 11   

171201-N-HS500-031 COMODORO RIVADAVIA, Argentina (Dec. 1, 2017). The U.S. Navy cable-controlled Undersea Recovery Vehicle (CURVE-21) is offloaded at the Comodoro Rivadavia airport Dec. 1, 2017. The CURVE will be used in support of the Argentinean Navy search and rescue efforts of the ARA San Juan (S-42) (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Christopher Lange/Released).

———-

The two P-8’s, along with sailors from the Patrol Squadron (VP) 5, VP-10, VP-45, VP-26, and Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11, arrived in Bahia Blanca, Argentina Nov 17 and Nov 19.

VP-5 will return to El Salvador’s Comalapa Air Base and resume the counter-illicit trafficking maritime patrol operations they were conducting prior to responding to Argentina’s request for help. VP-10, VP-26, VP-45, and CPRW-11 personnel will return to their home station at Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Florida.

The URC deployed two independent rescue assets, the SRC and the PRM, Nov. 18. URC will return to their home station in San Diego, California.

For more information, visit http://www.southcom.mil/Media/Special-Coverage/US-Military-Support-to-Argentina-Submarine-Search/

Update: Missing Submarine: Impulsive Event Detected

Update–more help sent

US Navy Deploys Unmanned Submersibles in Argentine Submarine Search


Release Date: 11/19/2017 8:40:00 PM

140414-N-OV358-036
INDIAN OCEAN (April 14, 2014) Operators aboard the Australian navy vessel ADF Ocean Shield move U.S. Navy’s Bluefin-21 into position for deployment. Using side scan sonar, Bluefin will descend to a depth of between 4,000 and 4,500 meters, approximately 35 meters above the ocean floor to spend up to 16 hours at this depth collecting data. Joint Task Force 658 is supporting Operation Southern Indian Ocean, searching for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Peter D. Blair/Released)

From U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command Public Affairs

NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) — The U.S. Navy has deployed unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) to join in the search for the Argentine navy’s submarine, A.R.A. San Juan, in South Atlantic waters.

The equipment consists of one Bluefin 12D (Deep) UUV and three Iver 580 UUVs, which are operated by the U.S. Navy’s recently-established Unmanned Undersea Vehicle Squadron 1, based in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

The UUVs are uniquely capable to help in the search. Both types are capable of deploying quickly and searching wide areas of the ocean using Side Scan Sonar, a system that is used to efficiently create an image of large areas of the sea floor. The Bluefin 12D is capable of conducting search operations at 3 knots (3.5 mph) at a maximum depth of almost 5,000 feet for 30 hours, while the Iver 580s can operate at a depth of 325 feet, traveling at 2.5 knots (2.8 mph) for up to 14 hours.

The U.S. government is providing rapid response capabilities, including aircraft, equipment and personnel to assist the government of Argentina in its search for the missing submarine.

In addition to the UUVs, the U.S. has deployed aircraft to assist in the search, as well as underwater equipment specifically designed for submarine search and rescue.

One Navy P-8A aircraft is already in Argentina, where it joined a NASA P-3 research aircraft currently supporting the ongoing search efforts over the submarine’s last known location.

U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) directed the deployment of this equipment and personnel to Argentina to support the country’s request for international assistance aimed at locating the missing submarine and crew.

SOUTHCOM is one of the nation’s six geographically-focused unified commands with responsibility for U.S. military operations in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.

U.S. Navy to Deploy Undersea Rescue Capabilities to Argentina


Story Number: NNS171118-03Release Date: 11/18/2017 4:25:00 PM

150719-N-ZZ999-002
PACIFIC OCEAN (July 19, 2015) Sailors assigned to Undersea Rescue Command (URC) and contractors from Phoenix Holding International launch the Pressurized Rescue Module (PRM-1) Falcon, part of the submarine rescue diving and recompression system, into the water for the PRM’s first dive of the operational readiness evaluation (ORE). URC successfully completed the ORE, certifying the Navy’s deep sea submarine rescue capability. (U.S. Navy photo by Daniel Moreno/Released)

From U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command Public Affairs

NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) — The U.S. Navy has ordered its Undersea Rescue Command (URC) based in San Diego, Calif., to deploy to Argentina, Nov. 18 to support the South American nation’s ongoing search for the Argentinean Navy submarine A.R.A. San Juan in the Southern Atlantic.

URC is deploying two independent rescue assets based on a number of factors, including the varying depth of ocean waters near South America’s southeastern coast and the differing safe operating depths of the two rescue systems.

Three U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III and one U.S. Air Force C-5 Galaxy aircraft will transport the first rescue system, the Submarine Rescue Chamber (SRC) and underwater intervention Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) from Miramar to Comodoro Rivadavia, Argentina. The four aircraft are scheduled to depart Miramar Nov. 18 and arrive in Argentina Nov. 19.

The second rescue system, the Pressurized Rescue Module (PRM) and supporting equipment will be transported via additional flights and is scheduled to arrive in Argentina early next week.

RELEASE: U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon to Support Argentina Search for Submarine

Release No: 17-013 Nov. 17, 2017

The aircraft and its 21-person crew will depart El Salvador’s Comalapa Air Base, where it was supporting counter-illicit trafficking maritime patrol operations. Once in Bahia Blanca, they will join the ongoing international search for the Argentinean Navy vessel and its crew, as requested by the government of Argentina.

JACKSONVILLE, FL – Patrol Squadron Sixteen’s (VP-16) new P-8A Poseidon aircraft now displays the VP-16 “War Eagle” logo and squadron designator. The squadron is the first operational squadron to complete the safe for flight inspection on the new aircraft. U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Guiliana Dunn/Released

 

The P-8A Poseidon is the Navy’s newest maritime, patrol and reconnaissance aircraft and is configured with state-of-the-art sensors and communications equipment, allowing it to support a wide range of missions over large bodies of water, including sub-surface search-and-rescue operations. It can reach an airspeed of 564 mph, has a ceiling of 41,000 feet and a range of 1,200 nautical miles with four hours on station, allowing it to loiter over search areas.

Courtesy Boeing.

 

P-8A POSEIDON MULTI-MISSION MARITIME AIRCRAFT (MMA)

Description
The P-8A Poseidon is a modified Boeing 737-800ERX, bringing together a highly reliable airframe and high-bypass turbo fan jet engine with a fully connected, state-of-the-art open architecture mission system. This combination, coupled with next-generation sensors, will dramatically improve anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) capabilities.

NASA is also assisting in the search by deploying a P-3 Orion, a maritime patrol plane operating under NASA’s Airborne Science Program.

Courtesy NASA.