BOOSTING SUBMARINE RESCUE COOPERATION IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC

Operating in an enclosed environment deep beneath the sea, all submariners are vitally aware that time is of the essence during an emergency situation. Hours and even minutes can mean "the difference between life and death", said Rear Admiral (RADM) Douglas McAneny, Commander of the Submarine Forces from the United States (US) Pacific Fleet.

Speaking at the opening of the 10th Asia Pacific Submarine Conference (APSC) on 7 Jun, he noted that the knowledge shared and bonds forged between participants "can make the difference between a successful rescue operation and a tragedy".

Held from 7 to 9 Jun, this year's event was hosted by the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and the United States Navy. About 60 personnel from 14 countries attended the conference, with Vietnam participating for the first time. Since 2001, the annual APSC has provided a platform to develop and foster regional cooperation among the submarine-operating navies in the Asia-Pacific.

"We must be interoperable and interdependent to safely conduct submarine operations... And we must continue to work together to better understand and respect one another," added RADM McAneny.

"Our cooperation here and in exercises like Pacific Reach help to work through common issues now, so that if the time comes to execute a real-world mission, we are better prepared to do so."

A multilateral submarine rescue exercise, Exercise Pacific Reach will be hosted by the RSN in the later half of the year, and feature participants from five countries as well as observers from over 20 countries. The RSN will be taking part in the exercise with its submarine and rescue support ship, MV Swift Rescue, which carries the submersible rescue vessel Deep Search and Rescue Six (DSAR 6).

For Captain William Drake, Director for Operations, Plans and Policies, Commander Submarine Force in the US Pacific Fleet, the APSC provides an excellent opportunity for participants to exchange expertise and build mutual trust and understanding.

"Submarine rescue is something that transcends international boundaries from a humanitarian perspective, so it's a truly multinational cooperation that we can focus on," he said."We have another Asia Pacific member joining the conference this year, and representatives all the way from Peru... The rapport between the different navies is very good, and the fact that we're talking and gaining that familiarity with each other is important, so that in the event of a casualty requiring submarine rescue, we've already made inroads through that dialogue with other countries."Commanding Officer of the RSN submarine squadron Colonel (COL) Tan Boon Ann agreed that the APSC is a good learning experience to get in touch with other professionals in the area of submarine operations. "With more countries acquiring or enhancing their submarine capabilities, it is important that we get everybody involved to make sure that we are all ready and have a better understanding of what it takes to operate submarines safely and minimise chances of having unplanned meetings at sea," he told cyberpioneer. "Conferences like this help to improve the relationship between the RSN and other navies, and it's those ties on the personal level which enhance our professional rapport when we're working together in future exercises out at sea."During the course of the conference, presentations on submarine operations and relevant studies were made and a table-top exercise on submarine rescue was also conducted.