Silvercrest Submarines are the UK's premier Submarine & Rov sales company with contracts performed worldwide.

SILVERCREST SUBMARINES NEWSLETTER (2008).

 

Sir Richard Branson is Voyaging to the Bottom of the Sea.

Last week Virgin revealed they had set up a "Skunk Works" division similar to Lockheed Martin’s cutting edge research lab, with secret plans to build a submarine capable of exploring the lowest depths of the oceans. Alex Tai, a former pilot who was chief operating officer of Virgin Galactic, Branson’s space-tourism business, heads the division. A Virgin insider said the ocean venture was one of several launches being considered and was in its early planning stage. Only a handful of submersibles are capable of reaching the lower ocean depths. They include America’s Alvin, Japan’s Shinkai, France’s Nautile and Finland’s MIR submersibles, which can dive to a maximum of 20,000ft. Oceans cover three-quarters of our planet, more than half are over 10,000ft deep and, according to a US government report, 95% remain unexplored. Among the many things that subs could discover are vast mineral deposits and unknown life forms. .

NATO Submarine Rescue System (NSRS).

Rolls-Royce has conducted the first open water trial of the groundbreaking new NATO Submarine Rescue System (NSRS) at the Underwater Centre in Fort William, UK. Scheduled for service in 2008 and jointly developed and funded by the NATO countries of France, Norway and the UK, NSRS comprises of a remotely operated submersible or ROV that locates and establishes underwater communications with the distressed submarine. A larger manned Submarine Rescue Vehicle (SRV) then docks with the submarine and rescues the crew, and finally aboard the mothership, a decompression system is used to treat up to 72 rescues simultaneously. The development of the new Submarine Rescue System follows a number of high profile incidents involving stricken submarines, most notably the Kursk disaster in 2000 that resulted in the tragic death of 118 Russian Navy crew.

Military Submarine News.
The building of the first French Navy 5,300 ton, 99m long, Barracuda class 
nuclear powered attack submarine (named Suffren) is underway at Cherbourg in 
France. The navy as an option for six submarines, at a cost of US$1.86 billion 
each. Sea trials are scheduled for 2016.

China will soon commission two new Shang-class (Type 093) nuclear powered attack 
submarines. Also one Jin-class (type 094) ballistic missile nuclear powered 
submarine. This is China's first step towards establishing a sea-based nuclear 
retaliatory capability.

Northrup has delivered the forth Virginia class submarine to the US. Navy. A 
total of thirty submarines are planned to be built.

VESSELS FOR SALE.
Fast Landing Craft / Dive vessel. Ex navy. Speed up to 18 knots. Can carry 40 
passengers under deck as a crew boat, carry 9 metric tons of cargo on deck, or 
be used as a small re-supply vessel. Will make an excellent general purpose / 
dive boat, subject to new owner requirements and internal arrangement. Port and 
starboard forward landing platforms, for beach access or water entry/exit for 
divers. Heads and wash hand basin. The vessel is under the 24m-workboat code and 
is therefore very easy to operate as no special crew is required. Dimensions 
LOA: 21m, Beam: 4m, Draft: 1m, Displacement: 31 ton. The vessel is powered by 
twin Volvo Penta Diesel engines (Type TAMD-122A, 294kw, 394HP). Range: 2000 
miles. Fuel capacity is 2x1750 liters. The vessel is in good condition and has 
few running hours. 

Dive/Rov support vessel. Converted navy mine sweeper. Recently refurbished to an 
extremely high standard. LOA: 45m. Breadth 8.4m. Draft: 1.8m. Gross tonnage 436 
tons. Twin Mirrlees JVSS V12 diesel engines. Combined 2500Bhp. 18-ton bollard 
pull. Fuel capacity 54 tons. Range 3500nm. Full navigation and communications 
equipment. 9-ton knuckle crane. Cargo deck area 155sq.m for containers and 
diving equipment. Accommodation for 36 passengers and 12 crew. Please contact us 
for details.

SUBMARINE SUPPORT EQUIPMENT.
Silvercrest can supply a range of submarine and Rov support equipment. For example: Submarine Escape Jerkins, Submersible Motors, Sonars, Underwater Communications, Underwater cameras, Submarine parts and consumables, plus a wide range of other items.

Silvercrest/SME manufacture high quality submersible motors and thruster units for Rovs, underwater trenchers, ploughs and submarines. Output from 1Kw to 1500Kw, with voltages to 6000vac. Operational depth to 4000m available.

SUBMERSIBLE MOTOR for IMMEDIATE SALE. New 100Hp submersible Rov motor for sale. 
The motor is a direct drop in replacement for the Curvetech 100HP unit, and is set up to receive a Rexroth A10VSO140 pump, but can be modified to accept other pump models if required. The motor is brand new, direct from our factory and has been constructed specifically for this purpose. Specification. ROV124-100HP, 4-pole, 3000v, 60Hz. Mil Spec hard-anodised T6 hardened 6061 grade Aluminium construction, with all 316 hardware. Rotor dynamically balanced. Oil filled externally compensated. Fully performance tested on Dynamometer at rated voltage and frequency. Subsea connectors for power and instrumentation. Designed for maximum electrical efficiencies to reduce full load currents. Motor designed for low operating temperatures to extend reliable lifespan. Specialised winding insulation system to ensure long 
operating life even under the most arduous of duties. On Deck operation generally allowable.
Power 100 HP
Volts 3000V
Frequency 60 Hz
Poles 4
RPM 1770 RPM
Shaft Woodruff keyed (see attached 
drawing for detail)
Construction Hard Anodized Aluminium 6061-T6
Compensation Oil filled - external-not supplied
Power Connector Burton 5757-1236-002
Sensor Connector SubConn BH-4-M 

COM-SUB Submarine for Sale. A lightweight two-man submarine built in Europe to a very high 
technical standard that offers a relatively spacious interior, and a full range of safety features. Ideal for yacht-based activities, underwater filming, scientific research, wreck hunting, and for private buyers. Operating depth: 200m (600ft). Dry weight: 4 tons. Viewports: 4 x flat acrylic (340mm) forward looking, 4 x conning tower (120mm), 1 x hatch viewport (90mm). External Lights, Compass, Sonar, Echo sounder, and communications. Free pilot training course included. A great buy.

SUB-SCOOTER.A two-man Sub-scooter, that is easy to use and operate. Ideal for super-yachts, tourist resorts and underwater leisure activities. No experience required for the passenger. Comfortable seats. Air is breathed from inside an acrylic dome that offers panoramic viewing. Maximum speed of two knots. Roller skids for ease of launch and recovery. Low operating costs. Length: 2m. Width: 680mm. Height: 1600mm. Weight: 330Kg.

Nuclear Research Submarine NR-1.

Towed by submarine support vessel Carolyn Chouest, NR-1 is to take part in an expedition to survey the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary and other sites of interest in the Gulf of Mexico. "This mission is going to be exciting and full of new challenges for the Submarine NR-1, and the crew of SSV Carolyn Chouest". www.marinelink.com/Story/ShowStory.aspx?StoryID=206176  

 

RUSSIAN POLAR EXPEDITION RETURNS TO MOSCOW
The Russian ITAR-TASS News agency displayed photos of the Russian polar expedition leader, State Duma Deputy Chairman Artur Chilingarov  arriving at Moscows Vnukovo carrying with him a photo of the Russian flag placed on the seafloor under the North Pole.  Last week the Russians dispatched two mini-submarines some 2.5 miles under the North Pole and symbolically, planted their flag on the sea floor.  The expedition was prepared by the Artic and Antarctic Research Institute and consisted of the Akademik Fyodorov research ship, a nuclear-powered ice-breaker and two submersibles and 135 research scientists. As well as some scientific goals including the study of Artic plants and animals it also has been viewed as a politically charged symbolic gesture to claim the rights to the sea bed which could be rich in oil and gas.   

  

Saab acquires UK underwater vehicle company Seaeye. With the acquisition of Seaeye Holdings Ltd and its subsidiary Seaeye Marine, Saab is strengthening its position in the underwater area and in the offshore market. The deal complements and reinforces Saab Underwater's unmanned underwater vehicle product portfolio. The purchase price is £13m GBP. Seaeye, with approximately 50 employees and annual sales of approximately £12M GBP, is located in Fareham, Hampshire on the south coast of England. The company develops and manufactures a complete range of electric powered ROV systems. The range extends from the portable Seaeye Falcon to the medium work class Panther Plus. The operation started in 1987 and Seaeye is the leading supplier of electrical ROVs to the offshore oil and gas industry. During the latest years, Seaeye has also further developed its products and now also delivers vehicles for security, salvage and coastal observation tasks.

 

Japan to Finance Dismantling of Subs.
Novosti reported that Japan will finance the scrapping of three Russian nuclear submarines decommissioned from the Pacific Fleet under a joint project with Russia, a senior Japanese diplomat said Friday. The three Victor class vessels will be dismantled under the Star of Hope program for the dismantlement of decommissioned nuclear submarines in Russia's Far East, which was adopted in 2003 during a visit by former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to Russia. During the dismantlement process, spent nuclear fuel is removed from the submarine's reactors and sent to storage, the hull is cut into three sections, and the bow and stern sections are removed and destroyed. The reactor section is sealed and transferred to storage. Source: Novosti

 

An Artist and His Sub Surrender in Brooklyn - New York.

At slack tide off Red Hook, Brooklyn, there are usually lots of things floating in the water, most of which you would not want to touch without the help of a good hazmat suit. But just after sunrise yesterday, something truly strange was bobbing there in the shallows near Pier 41: a submarine fashioned almost completely from wood, and inside it a man with an obsession. The man, Duke Riley, a heavily tattooed Brooklyn artist whose waterborne performance projects around New York have frequently landed him in trouble with the authorities, spent the last five months building the vessel as a rough replica of what is believed to have been Americas first submarine, an oak sphere called the Turtle, said to have seen action in New York Harbor during the Revolutionary War. Mr. Riley plan was also military, in a sense though mostly metaphorical, given that he is an artist. He wanted to float north in the Buttermilk Channel to stage an incursion against the Queen Mary 2, which had just docked in Red Hook, the mission objective mostly just to get close enough to the ship to videotape himself against its immensity for a coming gallery show.But when his sub was stopped by a New York City police boat around 10 a.m., the outcome was not metaphorical at all: Mr. Riley, 35, and two friends who had helped tow him were taken into custody by a phalanx of law enforcement officials, and their excursion briefly raised fears that a terrorist attack might have been under way. The flurry of attention that followed, on television and untold numbers of urban blogs, was the kind of publicity that most artists would pay good money for. Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly issued a statement later calling the incident marine mischief the creative craft of three adventuresome individuals and saying nothing suspicious had been recovered other than the vessel itself. He played down the possibility that the cruise ship could have been endangered had the intent been more malicious than artful, suggesting that the sub had been detected in plenty of time.Mr. Kelly said a New York police detective assigned to the departments intelligence division who was aboard the Queen Mary 2 yesterday morning first spotted what looked like a hobby-shop submarine towed by a flimsy rubber raft manned by Mr. Rileys two friends. He called the departments harbor patrol, which dispatched three boats to the scene along with a helicopter, joined later by the Coast Guard and a hazardous-materials truck.Still, Mr. Riley, who emerged from his rusty hatch without the tall-boy can of beer he had taken into his vessel when it launched about 9:15, managed to make it to within about 200 feet of the bow of the ship, at a time when officials say harbor security is a critical factor in guarding against terrorism. From a nearby pier, several of his friends and his art dealers shouted congratulations through a chain-link fence.But the police impounded the sub, and the Coast Guard issued Mr. Riley a citation for violating the ships 100-yard security zone. The police issued two more, for unsafe boating. (Mr. Riley had no means of propulsion and was relying mainly on the kindness of the tide to take him toward his objective.) In an interview at Pier 41 on Thursday afternoon, after Mr. Riley called a reporter to alert him to the planned excursion, the artist said he first became interested in building the submarine after reading about the Turtle in history books. (By some accounts, the original submarines attempt to attach an explosive to the bottom of a British warship failed, but the device detonated near the ship and caused the British to move their vessels. Other accounts say the sub never even launched.) Mr. Riley built his eight-foot-tall submersible not from oak but from cheap plywood, coated with fiberglass and topped off with portholes and a hatch bought from a marine salvage company. Pumps in the bottom allowed him to add water for ballast or remove it. On Thursday evening, he and the two friends, Jesse Bushnell and Mike Cushing, scrambled around in the murky Red Hook water avoiding the occasional condom or dead rat to make sure that the sub, called the Acorn, was seaworthy and would submerge. (It never did so completely.) They had loaded several thousand pounds of lead into the bottom and were adding rocks to further lower the moss-coated vessel, which resembled something out of Jules Verne by way of Huck Finn. We start arguing with each other and saying, Hey, you are doing that wrong,said Mr. Bushnell, who owns a bicycle shop in Providence, R.I. And then we realize there is no right way to do this. He added grumpily, I have basically been wading around in this water for three days in my underwear.Mr. Rileys last big artwork was an illegal makeshift tavern built last summer on a spit of land near Rockaway Inlet in Queens that in the early 1900s was a kind of Wild West territory, with saloons and prizefights. That project was also brought to a premature end by the police, who arrived at night with guard dogs and scattered most of Mr. Rileys friends. With the submarine, which he launched on a short-lived test run to the Queen Mary 2 in July, Mr. Riley said he accepted early on that the real performance would probably end with an arrest. Or with him sinking. I am not really a very technical kind of guy, he said, sitting shirtless on the pier Thursday with various green things still clinging to his arms from the water. I just guessed a lot on this. Asked how he planned to get back to shore after the tide carried him out to the cruise ship, he grinned. I havent really thought about that yet,he said.Yesterday afternoon, as he, Mr. Bushnell and Mr. Cushing were being taken into custody, still dripping wet, Mr. Rileys dealers, Alberto Magnan and Dara Metz, said they planned to display the submarine in a show soon at their Chelsea gallery. And to post Mr. Rileys bail, if needed.As they spoke, a beefy police officer standing on the bow of a harbor patrol boat laughed and, pointing at the wooden submarine below him, said: What are we going to do with this thing? It looks like the Turtle.

ROV’S FOR IMMEDIATE SALE. 

ORION ROV. A new build 45kW (60 HP), Light Work Class vehicle with superb 
technical specification. Depth Rating: 1000m, 2000m & 3000m options. Delivery 
six months from order. 

Hyball Offshore ROV System for sale. Dive ready and in good condition. Complete 
with vehicle, Surface control unit and surface monitor, and colour camera. 200m 
umbilical and Hydrovision technical manuals. Spare parts. Training course 
available. 

25 HP and 150 HP WORK CLASS ROVs (New). This Rov is a new build and comes as a 
complete operational package with vehicle, control cabin, and LARS. Operational 
depth 1000m (2000m and 3000m option). Length 2500mm. Width 1450mm. Height 
1800mm. Weight In-air 2400 kgs. Speed 3.5 knots. Standard Power Pack 125hp 
(150HP and 175HP available). 94kw/125hp shaft output power, 3 phase, 4 pole, 3KV 
motor, oil filled and compensated. Vickers piston pump, output 220lpm @ 200bar. 
Video & Telemetry System. Underwater Lights. FluxGate Compass and Integrated 
Gyro System. Tritech SeaKing DFS Sonar. Tritech SeaKing PA200-20. Depth 
Transducer. Auto Heading, Depth, Altitude & Turn Rate. 7-Function Manipulator. 
5-Function Grabber Arm. Hydraulic Tooling Manifold. Hydraulic Pan & Tilt. CCD 
Colour Camera. CCD Monochrome Camera. Aramid umbilical 41mm, length 1300m. 
Control Cabin.

Heavy Duty TMS for sale. Subsea deployment cage (TMS) side entry, with 
electro-optic umbilical cable coiled and stored on a electro-hydraulic winch. At 
operating depth a powered drum feeds the tether out as the Rov exits the cage. 
TMS/cage dimensions: Length 3m. Width 2m. Height 3.6m. Weight in air 3.5 tons. 
Structure: aluminium and titanium. Installed hydraulic power unit 10HP. Flying 
tether: length 100m (11 power conductors, 3 twisted pairs, 3 coaxial cables, 7 
low voltage conductors). Pan and tilt mounted video camera: -1 x CCD monochrome 
video camera (not fitted). Lights: 2 x 250 W, halogen type (not fitted). Depth 
sensor. Paid out tether length counter. A refit programme will be required to 
restore the TMS to working order. 

AC-ROV (Model SP-50). The smallest inspection class Rov in the market place 
(190mm fly through). The AC-ROV is more powerful, more robust and a more cost 
effective solution than all other Rovs in its class. This Rov can hover, circle, 
rotate on its axis, and move in any direction the target requires. Operating 
depth of 75-100m. A total system carry-case weight of under 15kg. The unit has 
been designed for inspection in hazardous and confined areas. Rov Size: 203mm x 
152mm x 146mm. Weight: 3kg. Camera: Colour CCD. Thrusters: 6 thrusters (4 x 
horizontal vectored, 2 x vertical). Lights: 4 cluster leds (variable intensity). 
System Power: 300 watt (0.4hp). Payload: 300g. Inputs: 90/260vac (47/63Hz) or 
124/370vdc. System includes : AC-ROV, Control Unit, Tether Reel with 80m tether, 
Monitor, Spacemouse control, Depth Sensor, Video Grabber cable - plugs into 
Laptop/PC for recording, Storm Case, Instruction Manual. Purchased November 2006 
and still under warranty. System has been used five times and is in perfect 
condition having been completely flushed with fresh water after each use. System 
is dive ready. Spare parts are readily available direct from Aberdeen. 

Hyball Spares Package for sale. A large package of spare parts including Field 
Maintenance Kit, 'O' Ring Kit, manual, Thruster Re-Build Kit, PCB Spares Kit - 
Vehicle, PCB Spares Kit - Surface Unit, Hand Controller assembly with Cable, 
Thruster Assembly Power Module Assembly, Vacuum Valve Assembly, Pressure 
Transducer Assembly, Motor Gearbox Camera Rotate Assembly, Compass Assembly, 
Vacuum Pump & Weights, Topside Control Unit, Umbilical 300m. Plus lots more. 
Contact us for a complete list. 

BS -ROV (400). This Rov has an operational depth of 400m (1200ft), and was 
manufactured by Comex. Three thrusters 0.5Hp each (one vertical and two 
horizontal). Video camera hi-sensitive 10 to 100000 Lux. 2 x lights each 250w. 
Sounder. Compass. Depth meter. Dimensions: length 76cm, width 67cm, height 51cm. 
Total weight: 60kg. Umbilical cable simple coaxial type KX4 (length 300m), 
diameter 11mm, weight: 17kg/100 m. Surface control system includes electronic 
control box, joystick, camera focus, water intake alarm, auto-altitude button, 
auto-cap button. Colour monitor 9" (PAL and SECAM). 

New Rov Umbilical (100m length). This new / unused Rov umbilical is in storage, 
and in excellent condition. The length is approximately 100m. This tether is 
wound onto a storage drum. Umbilical length 100m. O.D. 31mm. 11 x power 
conductors. 3 x twisted pairs. 3 x coaxial cables. 7 x low voltage conductors. 

Sprint 101 Rov for sale. Good condition and dive ready. Operational depth 300m. 
Manufactured in Norway. Includes vehicle, surface control unit, umbilical and 
spares parts. 5 x thrusters (0.45Hp each). Maximum speed 2.5kts. 2 x video 
cameras. 1 x still camera. 2 x strobe lights. 3 x subsea lights (250w each). 
Recorded data onto video. Power requirements 193-480vac/47-63Hz/three phase. 

SLIM Rov for sale. Good condition and dive ready. Complete with vehicle, 300m 
umbilical, surface control station, container and spare parts. Recently upgraded 
electronics. 8 x 0.5hp oil filled thrusters. Length 107cm, width 60cm, height 
65cm, weight in air 100kg. Speed 2.5kts. Maximum operational depth 720m. Auto 
depth, auto heading, auto pilot. SIT camera, colour camera, manipulator/grab. 

OLYMPIAN Workclass Rov / Trencher. Depth rating 3000m. The system is in good 
condition and dive ready. Package includes Rov, self-contained control cabin, 
transformer cabin, heave compensated umbilical winch, landing platform, and 
A-frame LARS. Vehicle weight in air 10 tons. 
 

India Set to Launch First Nuclear Sub.
India is set to launch its first nuclear submarine later this year which if successful will put the country in an extremely exclusive club. The project codenamed the Advanced Technology Vessel has been crawling along since the 1970s. Reports now indicate that India has overcome the biggest problem, the miniaturization of a nuclear power plant. www.marinelink.com/Story/ShowStory.aspx?StoryID=206362  

 

WHOI Awards Lockheed Martin $2.8m Contract To Design RHOV.

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) has awarded Lockheed Martin a $2.8 million contract for the initial design of the Replacement Human Occupied Vehicle (RHOV), a next generation three-person Deep Submergence Vehicle (DSV) that will be used by the U.S. scientific community. The contract has an option for subsequent construction of the RHOV once the initial design is completed and the project is approved to move forward. Funded through the National Science Foundation, the RHOV is intended to replace the DSV Alvin, the human-occupied deep submergence vehicle currently operated by WHOI. In more than four decades of operation, the Alvin has made headlines for locating a hydrogen bomb lost in the Mediterranean Sea in 1966, discovering deep-sea hydrothermal vents in the late 1970s and exploring the sunken ocean liner Titanic in 1986. The enhanced design of the RHOV will provide additional space in the vehicle's personnel sphere for its complement of two scientists and a pilot; the design also will accommodate greater science payload and provide improved visibility. RHOV will operate in depths of 6,500 meters (about 4 miles) and will be able to reach nearly 99 percent of the global ocean floor, with each dive lasting up to ten hours. By comparison, Alvin can reach 4,500 meters (almost 3 miles) giving it access to about 63 percent of the ocean floor. The RHOV will be capable of hovering in the water column at any depth, maneuvering in rugged topography or resting on the sea floor while exploring and surveying the ocean's geology and biology. The RHOV will ultimately be a part of the National Deep Submergence Facility, fleet of underwater vehicles operated by WHOI for the U.S. oceanographic community.

 

India to acquire 6 more Submarines.

 According to reports, Indian navy will acquire six new submarines.The reports indicated that it would take about six years for the navy to acquire the six new submarines. It currently has 16 submarines, some of which are aging. India has been seeking to bolster its rise as an economic power by reshaping its armed forces into a modern military capable of projecting power well beyond its shores.
                   

Russia in Talks with Venezuela on Selling Diesel Subs.
The Rosoboronexport Company is in talks with Venezuela on a delivery of five Russian diesel-electric submarines of the Kilo class with missile systems to that country. According to a Rosoboron xport representative, Venezuela already requested a feasibility report on Kilo submarines and displayed interest in a number of other development studies of Russian submarine shipbuilding, displayed at the show, including small submarines of the Malakhit design office. Diesel submarines of the Kilo class, developed by the Rubin central design office and built by the Admiralteiskie Shipyards were supplied for export since 1986. The last big batch eight submarines of this class was delivered to the Chinese navy. 
                       

DSRV for Singapore.

The Singapore Navy has awarded a contract to ST Marine and James Fisher to supply a new submarine rescue spread that includes a dedicated support vessel. Fisher will build the DSRV, operate and maintain it for a twenty-year contract. The DSRV will be based on the LR5 design. Construction to commence third quarter of 2007. Delivery mid 2009. Value of contract stated as being $400 million.
           
Russia to Launch Nuclear Submarine.
A fourth-generation strategic nuclear submarine will be launched during a special ceremony at a shipbuilding yard in northern Russia, according to Novosti. The Yury Dolgoruky, a Borey-class nuclear missile submarine, was built at the Sevmash plant in the northern Arkhangelsk Region. It will be equipped with the Bulava ballistic missile, which is adapted from the Topol-M (SS-27). The submarine is 580 feet, a body diameter around 42 feet, and a submerged speed of about 29 knots. It can carry up to 16 ballistic missiles. Two other Borey-class nuclear submarines, the Alexander Nevsky and the Vladimir Monomakh, are currently under construction at the Sevmash plant, with a fourth submarine on the future production schedule list. 
    

Royal Navy to Get New Sub.

The MoD has placed a contract with British industry for the construction of a new nuclear powered attack submarine, to be named HMS Audacious. The 7,800 ton boat, which will be equipped with the latest cruise missiles, is the fourth of the Astute class, the largest and most powerful attack submarines ever built in Britain for the Royal Navy. "It's a mean looking beast. I think it looks like the alien," remarks Chris Nelson of BAE Systems, as we walk round the front of the Royal Navy's new Astute submarine in Barrow. Looming above is a construction shed 12 storeys high. Within it are three nuclear-powered submarines at different stages of construction. Astute is a technological phenomenon. Its nuclear reactor means it'll never need refuelling in the whole of its 25-year life. Since it makes its own air and water, it can circumnavigate the globe without needing to surface. Its weapons systems are so accurate that were it positioned in the English Channel, its cruise missiles could pinpoint targets as far away as North Africa It may be one of the most sophisticated submarines ever built, but the project has been beset with problems. The three submarines are £900m ($1.8bn) over budget and four years behind the original schedule. 
                 

ASTUTE FACTS : Cost: £3.5bn for three subs. Weight: 7,800 tons. Length: 97m. Time to build: 6 years 4 months. Power: pressurised water reactor, fuelled for life. Crew: 98

           
Sub to Probe Sunken Ship.
Greek rescuers will deploy a robot submarine to search for the bodies of two French tourists believed to have drowned when a cruise ship sank off a resort island in the Aegean Sea. The ship's captain blamed the accident on sea currents that swept the Sea Diamond onto a charted reef off the island of Santorini, tearing a hole in the ship's hull. According to reports, more than 50 tons of ship fuel leaked after the sinking, some of which has washed ashore. An oceanographic vessel is expected to arrive on the island to deploy an Rov in an attempt to locate the missing passengers and the ship's voyage data recorder, the Merchant Marine Ministry said. Most of the hull is 320 feet below the water's surface inside a sea-filled crater caused by a volcanic eruption 3,500 years ago. But officials fear the ship's position is not yet stable. The rest of the passengers reached safety after scrambling onto lifeboats, crossing narrow gangways and climbing down rope ladders. The Sea Diamond sunk some 15 hours later, causing an oil slick that experts tried to contain. Plans were also made to seal off or remove the remaining 400 tons from the wreckage. 

 

Silvercrest supply 260kW submersible motors to CTC Marine Projects Ltd.

Silvercrest Marine has manufactured and delivered in just six weeks from order, ten 260Kw submersible motors to CTC Marine Projects based in Teeside, England. The motors will be used by CTC on their subsea plough and trenching vehicles worldwide.

 

260kW Silvercrest Pump Motor under construction.

 

The 260kW/ 3000V / 60Hz / 2 pole pump motors (designed specifically for use in the horizontal axis) were fitted with shafts at both ends, in order to mate with three tandem mounted hydraulic pumps on one end and a Hayward Tyler M6 single stage water pump-set on the opposite end. In this 260kW model, rather than using the pivot shoe arrangement, typical of vertically oriented pump-sets, heavy duty tapered roller bearings were fitted to the rotor to manage the water pump induced end-loads. Thus giving a calculated bearing life in excess of 11,000 hours, even when used in the horizontal axis. Depth rating on each motor is 10,000 meters, with oil filled compensation. Motor housings are 316 stainless steel, with Mylar coated windings (the ultimate in winding coating technology) being used in each motor at the request of CTC, giving an insulation rating of >16kV at a temperature of 140 degrees C.  Silvercrest Marine will bespoke manufacture virtually any shape and size of submersible motor required for subsea operations.

 

Canadian Ferry Sinking. 

Nuytco reports that the 350ft vessel 'Queen of the North' is sitting upright and intact in 1400 feet of water. She 'skied' in, with the result that the bottom mud/silt ( actually, glacial flour-type sediment) is up to her car-deck . . .about 30-35 feet above her keel. She must have produced an enormous dust-cloud that followed her down slope and drifted over the top of her. Viz is about 30 feet, but lots of back-scatter in the HMI lights, because of dense crystal critter life in the water column (tentaphores,siphonophores,etc.). Video recording has gone well.The DeepWorker 2000 subs performed perfectly. Using a precision wireless tracking system coupled with a Racal-designed position plotting system  the submarine crew were able to plot the subs position to the surface-mounted DGPS, and get a precise GPS coordinate for every significant  part of the wreck. 

 

Chilean Navy sub on Sea Trials.

The submarine "Carrera" second of the Scorpene Class, built by the French-Spanish consortium, has carried out initial sea trials. The submarine was assembled in Cartegena shipyard and floated in 2004. The first submarine of this class was delivered to the navy in 2005.

 

SEAL Delivery System.

The US navy special operations command has cancelled plans to build a fleet of advanced swimmer delivery vehicles (ASDS). Owing to technical problems associated with ASDS-1 delivered in June 2003. Funding for future vehicles has been diverted to continue the development of the first vehicle. 

 

Indian Navy Nuclear submarines.

This programme is progressing after the recent testing of three major components of the ATV nuclear powered submarine. Russian scientists are helping to develop the small nuclear reactor.

 

General Dynamics.

General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyards are laying off 2000 workers, owing to a slow down in submarine activity. The company recently lost the contract to conduct maintenance work on the US attack submarines.

          

 Navy's Swimming Spy Plane
 Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works, famed for the U-2 and Blackbird spy planes that flew higher than anything else in the world in their day, is trying for a different altitude record - an airplane that starts and ends its mission 150 feet underwater. The Cormorant, a stealthy, jjet-powered, autonomous aircraft that could be outfitted with either short-range weapons or surveillance equipment, is designed to launch out of the Trident missile tubes in some of the U.S. Navy's Ohio-class submarines. Subs survive by stealth, and an airplane flying back to the boat could give its position away. The Skunk Works's answer is a four-ton airplane with gull wings that hinge around its body to fit inside the missile tube. The tubes are as long as a semi trailer but about seven feet wide, not exactly airplane-shaped. The Cormorant has to be strong enough to withstand the pressure 150 feet underwater, enough to cave in hatches on a normal aircraft, but light enough to fly. The craft is made of titanium to resist corrosion, and any empty spaces are filled with plastic foam to resist crushing. The rest of the body is pressurized with inert gas. Inflatable seals keep the weapon-bay doors, engine inlet and exhaust   covers watertight. The Cormorant does not shoot out of its tube like a missile. Instead an arm-like docking "saddle" guides the craft out, sending it floating to the surface while the sub slips away. As the drone pops out of the water, the rocket boosters fire and the Cormorant takes off. After completing its mission, the plane flies to the rendezvous coordinates it receives from the sub and lands in the sea. The sub then launches a robotic underwater vehicle to fetch the floating drone.

 

US Navy diver - 2000ft in Hardsuit 2000
The recently announced "US Navy 2,000 foot record dive in ADS" is not any sort of an international record - the Oceaneering 'WASP'  ADS is Lloyds certed to 2000 feet and has made lots of routine dives in that depth range - (design collapse is in excess of 4000 feet) The USN 2000 foot suit was a contract that we entered into in 1996, while I was head of Hard Suits Inc. The 2000 foot joint is simply the original Newtsuit joint  (the patented principle of the Newt Suit joint is that it , in theory, depth independant -  since it is automatically depth/pressure compensated . At some point , though, the pressure loads do cause physical distortion for a given housing thickness)  with a slightly beefed up housing to accept the higher internal joint pressure. It's kind of astonishing that it took a decade for the USNto finally take delivery of this model! Hard Suits changed ownership a number of mes - and became 'Ceanics', then 'Oceanworks' during that ten year period. The 1000 foot and 1250 foot Newtsuits have been standard with the major Navies of the world since 1987, suits were sold to the Canadian Navy.

Drug smugglers may be using submarines.

MADRID - Cocaine traffickers may be using submarines to smuggle drugs into Europe, Spanish police said on Monday after finding a 35-foot-long submarine drifting off the northwestern coast.The empty blue-gray craft was found in an inlet near the Atlantic on Sunday
following a telephone tip-off in the Galicia region, a spokesman for the Civil Guard police said. The main theory is that it belonged to drug traffickers. He said that while no drugs were found on board, police suspected the craft might have been used by smugglers who made a run for it when the authorities arrived on their boat. Spains rugged northwestern coast, with difficult-to-patrol coves and bays, is a major entry point for Colombian cocaine into Europe. Although the Galicia Civil Guard have never seized a smugglers submarine before, traffickers have been known to use submersible craft elsewhere to ferry cocaine between shore and mother ship. In 2000, Colombian police found a 100-foot-long submarine with the capacity to carry up to 200 tons of cocaine worth billions of dollars still under construction in the Andes mountains near Bogota.

ComSub on Television (Discovery Channel TV).

Our two-man mini sub (ComSub) recently featured on the "Extreme Machines" programme shown on Discovery Channel TV. The programme is one of a series of six that features a range of transportation by land, air and sea. The latest film discussed the history and operation of submarines.

 

The Comsub is a small two-man submarine built in Europe to a very high technical standard that offers a relatively spacious interior, and a full range of safety features. Ideal for yacht-based activities, underwater filming, scientific research, and for private buyers. Operating depth: 200m (600ft). Dry weight: 4 tons. Panoramic viewports, External Lights, Compass, Sonar, Echo sounder, and communications. Contact us for full details and to discuss availability for underwater filming and scientific research projects.

ROVs Wanted for Purchase.  

We have a number of clients looking to purchase Rovs, especially smaller units that are in working order or perhaps need a refit. Perhaps you have a Hyball or Phantom, sitting in your store that is not being used. If so, please e-mail the details to us. We will be pleased to sell your Rov for you. Larger Rov systems are also required.  

Sportsub for sale (Very good condition and great price).

A two/three man wet submersible that incorporates the dynamics of both flying and scuba diving. Constructed from fiberglass, the Sportsub can travel through the water further and faster than scuba divers, and has a dive duration of approximately three hours (limited by Dive Tables). Operating Depth: 120ft (40m). Crew: two or three. Weight: 0.5 ton. Viewing through acrylic viewports. Exit and re-entry underwater possible for trained scuba divers. Non-divers can travel in the Sportsub as passenger. Easy to operate and maintain. Pilot training course available. Excellent condition and dive ready.

Submarines for Charter.

We have a number of submarines available for long and short-term hire and charter. These are ideal for underwater filming, documentaries, scientific research projects, and subsea salvage. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.

Sever.2 Submersible for charter or sale.

This well-known deep diving submarine from the Ukraine is now available for sale or charter.  Surface Displacement (dry weight) 38.7 tons. Overall Length 12 m.  Operating Depth to 2,000 m. Crew (2 pilots and 3 observers). Active Submerged work time 6 hr. Passive submerged period 72 hr. The submersible is designed to provide viewing through 3 portholes 140mm in diameter and 4 portholes 60mm in diameter. Electro hydraulic manipulators made of titanium alloy with 7 degrees of freedom. 

Mega Yacht Building with small submarines.
Current projects confirm the predominant trend in mega yacht building – that length counts!  Blohm+Voss has been preparing for this development and have completed project studies for yachts with lengths in excess of 76 metres.  The highlight amongst the latest project is a 147-metre luxury yacht, which sets new standards in design, features and functionality. The design includes various loggias, balconies, oriels, sundecks, a swimming pool on the top deck, a cinema and a disco.  The yacht has a garage for a small tourist submarine and a helicopter landing pad. In addition, a 18-metre long tender is integrated into the silhouette. Read more: http://www.marinetalk.com/n.asp?d=12-21-2004&i=15333&h=i_n
 
Deep Rover Submersibles.

In-Depth Marine Ltd has delivered new control systems  for the two Deep Rover 1002 submersibles built in 1994, and operated by Deep Ocean Expeditions. The subs are two-man and have a 1000m diving depth.

US Navy ASDS.

The US navy now operates an Advanced  SEAL Delivery System. The ASDS is a small submarine that weighs 55 tons, and is 65ft long. The single screw submarine can travel 125 miles at a speed of 8 knots, powered by silver zinc batteries (1200Kw). The unit carries a crew of two (pilot plus navigator) and 8 SEALs. The ASDS has three main compartments, control space, diver lockout chamber, and passenger/cargo space. Northup Grumman Corp are investigating a new lithium-ion battery for the ASDS, that once developed could increase the battery capacity by as much as twenty times the present capacity. A total of three ASDS units have been approved for construction.

           
Hardsuit delivered.

US based Phoenix International recently took delivery of two more Hardsuits (one-man ADS units), rated to 1200ft (365m). They were supplied by Oceanworks International of Houston. The suits are ideal for subsea intervention tasks, and subsea inspection activities.

US Navy Search and Salvage.

Phoenix international has the contract to provide worldwide underwater search, recovery, and submarine rescue services to the US Navy. Phoenix also operates and maintains US Navy sonar search systems and Rovs for the Supervisor of Salvage and Diving.

Pressurised Rescue Module System (PRMS).

ISE of Canada has a contract to build components and supply software for the US Navy PRMS, the new submarine rescue system. ISE is providing the control system, thrusters, power packs and various other items. The PRMS is a tethered , manned Rov used to transfer personnel between a stranded military submarine to the surface. The PRMS can operate in 2.5knot currents and operate to depths of 2000ft. Mating to a submarine can be achieved at 45 degrees, and 18 personnel can be rescued per dive.

Rescue Submersibles Quality Engineer  

Perry Slingsby Systems has been seeking a quality engineer for the new DSRV. The job spec is to perform quality system project related   activities to ensure Rescue Submersibles specifically meet the contract specified codes and standards. To prepare Quality Plans for the Rescue Submarines. To achieve the requirements of the prepared plan, coordinate with clients, third parties, and internal functions all planned quality and inspection activities. Review Certification Packages and ensure documentation for material certification, calibration and welding procedures for all systems are maintained. The successful candidate will have a college degree or equivalent experience in a technical area. Welding Inspection certification desirable. Contact: angela.pickering@uk.perrymail.com 

Mini Subs (Submersibles) for sale.
For sale in excellent condition, a four-man (1000ft depth rated) submersible with diver lockout facility. Also immediately available a range of multi passenger tourist submarines (ten to forty passenger). Small two / three man submersibles, and one-man ADS units. Pilot training and maintenance courses are arranged to support every submarine sale if required.

EO-Sub.
A state of the art three-man submersible with a very high-tech image, operational depth: 300ft (100m). Stainless steel hull, nickel sodium batteries. Domed acrylic viewports for all crew members. This submersible is ideal for a range of underwater activities and especially for yacht based recreation. New build with test dives just completed.

Worlds Most Innovative Non-Nuclear Submarine.
The German Navy will be getting a revolutionary new submarine the 212A class. Conventional does not really do justice to it, non-nuclear would be better. The new submarine's outstanding feature is its atmospheric air independent propulsion system. This propulsion system is based on a quiet-running hydrogen fuel cell which not only makes the submarine very difficult to detect but also allows it to stay submerged for a long period of time.

SC-Bug Submersible.
A small privately constructed submersible designed for two or three persons. Ideal for underwater filming, research, and personal recreation. Operating Depth: 500ft (test depth 725ft). Length 12ft and width 5ft. Numerous viewports. Life support for three days. Over 500 dives completed todate. Training course available.

SM-202.
This is an exciting leisure submarine, which is ideal for underwater filming and pleasure activities in shallow water depths. Exceptional 360-degree viewing, through the acrylic hull. Operating Depth: 150ft(50m) with possible upgrade to 100m. Weight: 4tons. Crew: One pilot and two passengers. External lights, underwater communications, and sonar.  

UNCOVERING SECRETS OF (ANOTHER) LOST CIVIL WAR SUBMARINE.
A joint research project is yielding new details about the U.S. Navy's first  submarine, the USS “Alligator.”  The U.S. National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Navy's Office of Naval Research joined forces to uncover the secrets of a technological marvel of the Civil War era akin to  the USS “Monitor” ironclad warship and the Confederate submarine CSS “Hunley” -- the USS Alligator.  Launched  in 1862, the Alligator was the U.S. Navy's first submarine.  While the vessel represented a significant leap forward  in naval engineering, complete information about its design and fate has been elusive.  Today, NOAA and ONR  released findings that help fill large gaps in the history of the all-but-forgotten Union submarine, including details about the Alligator's inventor, innovative features, and loss in April 1863.  “NOAA is excited to partner with the Office of Naval Research to bring the largely untold story of the Alligator to  the public," said Dr. Richard W. Spinrad, assistant administrator for NOAA's National Ocean Service. "Through  the Alligator Project, we are learning not only about revolutionary developments in maritime technology but also  the American Civil War experience and the pioneering spirit that built our great nation." Chief of Naval Research RAdm. Jay Cohen added, "The Alligator Project will test our ability to find an object in the  sea in a reasonable amount of time and at a reasonable cost.  If we can find the Alligator, we can find anything."   Among the NOAA-ONR research team's recent discoveries are the only design drawings of the Alligator found to  date.  Drafted by French inventor Brutus de Villeroi, the drawings provide new details about the vessel's  architecture and breakthrough technologies, including the first diver lockout chamber ever devised for a submarine  as a weapons system. NOAA discovered Villeroi's original, hand-drawn designs in France in May 2003 after a  search for Alligator-related documents led to the French navy's historical archives, the Service Historique de la  Marine.  Along with the design drawings, NOAA also found a number of original, hand-written letters exchanged by  Villeroi and the French government.  The letters document Villeroi's repeated but unsuccessful attempts to  persuade the government of his native country to purchase his submarine design.  An 1863 letter provides clues  about the loss of the Alligator off the coast of North Carolina while it was being towed by the USS Sumpter from  Washington, D.C., to Charleston, South Carolina. The information released, including images of the Alligator design drawings, historical documents, and a map  depicting the last reported position of the submarine, are available on the Alligator Project website.http://www.sanctuaries.noaa.gov/alligator

TAURUS Submarine for charter.
A multi purpose submersible, designed for one-atmosphere operations, diver lockout, dry transfer, and submarine rescue (DSRV). This submersible is in excellent condition and dive ready. Suitable for underwater tourism, scientific research, search and salvage, and a range of military tasks. Crew: six (normal), six (diver lockout operations), twenty-two (DSRV operations). Operational Depth: 1200ft (400m). Weight: 22 tons. One large front viewport, one large aft viewport, four tower viewports, one lower viewport. Fitted with external lighting, sonar system, acoustic tracking, communications, manipulator arm, and hydraulic cable cutter.

Mapping Uncharted Waters.
An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) called Autosub is about to become the first surveyor to breach one of the last unknown regions of the world. It will plunge into the unexplored pockets of the sea beneath the ice shelves of Antarctica. Traveling through the Amundsen Sea under the Pine Island Glacier ice shelf, Autosub will gather data for four projects sponsored by the Natural Environment Resource Council. The aim is to understand the interactions between the glacier and the ocean, which may reveal the effects of global warming on the Antarctic region.

Adventurer-Sub for sale.

"DEAR ALAN, I have a Sub for sale (140ft depth, 3 crew) made by a small company in Florida.The inside of the sub is almost complete. The a/c gets installed next week. The dash is complete and looks great. The sub has been tested about 15 times and the biggest problem was the diesel and electric engines. But that is all fixed now. The tests where all in shallow water (25 ft.or less). More tests have to be done to find neutral buoyancy. The sub is not finished, but all the equipment is 100% paid for, with all parts and labour under a one year warranty. To finish the sub it will take testing and very little money.  The builder says he will not build another one like mine for under $250,000.  I upgraded almost every part over the last two years. I have registered the boat in Florida and the coast guard have approved it. This submarine would be a great buy for any enthusiast. Please inform all your readers”.

FREE-DIVING WORLD RECORD SET
Cabo San Lucas, México -- Off the coast here, Pipin Ferreras set a new no limits free-diving world record of 558 feet (170 meters).  Dr. Titanic, used manned submersibles and above and below water cameras to document the record. The dive took place at 11:30 a.m. in calm seas and light winds.  The water temperature at the surface was 82°F and 55°F at 558 feet. The depth was confirmed using a precision instrument carried on Pipin's back, said McCoy. The cylindrical device, which contains a microprocessor, is accurate to within 3 inches and has been used to certify free-diving world records since 1995. es@oceansensors.com

 
DRUGS FROM THE SEA -  ELUSIVE CANCER KILLER'S DEEP-SEA HIDEOUT.
Ft. Pierce, Florida, USA -- In 1984, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution scientists discovered a small piece of sponge in the deep waters off the Bahamas that harboured chemical with a remarkable ability to kill cancer cells in laboratory tests.  Despite almost two decades of subsequent searching, the group was never able to find enough of the sponge to fully explore its potential. But now that process can finally be in because, thanks to some creative detective work, the team has found the animal's secret hiding place and collected enough of it to support years of intense research.  "It's just amazing," says Dr. Amy Wright, director of HBOIs Biomedical Marine Research, of the sponge she has been in a career-long quest to find.  "This is our next cure, I know it's our next cure." A chemical produced within the sponge, which has not yet been given an official name, has proven in one test of cancer-fighting potential to be about 400 times more potent than Taxol®, a wide