Crew members from Undersea Rescue Command (URC) and contractors from Phoenix Holdings International (Phoenix) completed Exercise Pacific Reach (PACREACH), June 3 in the Republic of Korea (ROK).

PACREACH ensures the interoperability between Pacific Rim countries by conducting a simulated submarine rescue mission utilizing the Submarine Rescue Diving Recompression System (SRDRS) and Pressurized Rescue Module (PRM).

"Exercises like this are extremely important due to the limited survivability time in a disabled submarine," said Cmdr. John Doney, Commander, Submarine Squadron 11 (CSS-11) deputy commander for undersea rescue. "It takes more than one nation to perform a speedy rescue, and they must be proficient in working together."

Sailors from the U.S., ROK, Australia and Malaysia participated in this year's exercise.

Doney said the Royal Malaysian Navy played an integral role in this year's exercise by acting as the rescue mother ship. The RMN Mega Bakti carried the SRDRS and provided an intervention remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to survey the simulated disabled submarine. The expertise of the crew helped assure the success of the rescue mission as a team.

The Malaysian team did not achieve the only success of the exercise.

"Pacific Reach 2016 was successful across all mission goals including equipment compatibility and international command and control team cooperation," said Doney. "Importantly, we built on relationships between each country's submarine rescue experts, so we can work together seamlessly during a real disabled submarine rescue."

According to Doney, the crew coordinated locating the simulated disabled submarine and maintained position over the location during heavy seas to ensure a successful launch and recovery of the rescue vehicles. They also launched the PRM, which attached to an Australian and ROK submarine. The PRM is an underwater rescue vehicle with the ability to carry 16 passengers and attach to a multitude of submarines via a universal fitting hatch.

Even though not all nations have submarine rescue capabilities, they can still assist in a rescue operation.

"Many nations have submarines, but not all nations have rescue systems," said Doney. "Even nations without a rescue system can participate with support equipment, like vessels of opportunity, decompression chambers and diving medical officers."

According to URC's commanding officer, Cmdr. Mark Hazenburg, URC's mission is to provide readily available submarine rescue capabilities with a global reach to respond to a submarine casualty at a moment's notice, including U.S. and foreign submarines.

"We will accommodate all requests that are made through proper channels and try to support as we are able," said Hazenburg. "Criteria centers on technical specifications associated with the submarine's rescue hatch and the specific design of the submarine."

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