In order to keep submarine crews trained, and within the framework of the Annual Plan of the Submarine Force Command, the Argentine Navy conducted the simulated exercise ‘SMEREX I’. In this exercise, various practices related to the three stages of an emergency on the ARA Salta submarine were carried out: the incident, the escape, and subsequent survival.
In line with this, several units based at the Naval Base of Mar del Plata, including the Submarine Force Command, the Submarine School, the Diving School, the Maritime Patrol Division, the Mar del Plata Naval Arsenal, and the crew of the ARA Salta, participated in training to refine their skills and knowledge of the current plans in place to carry out an assistance operation for the affected submarine. This includes tasks such as technical damage control, crew escape, survival at sea, and subsequent coordination tasks for a rescue.
The crew of the ARA Salta, commanded by Frigate Captain Pablo David Isla, effectively completed the first phase of training at the Submarine Damage Control Trainer (ACASUB) located at the Submarine School, where they carried out the required repairs. Subsequently, at the Diving School (ESSU), the submarine crew simulated an escape from the submerged submarine at a depth of 50 meters for a period of half an hour, after which they were evaluated by medical and psychological teams. The final phase was completed after the deployment of emergency rafts and an EPIRB radiobeacon, followed by maneuvers to bring the crew ashore.
After the exercise, Captain Daniel Alfredo Corvalán, who is in charge of the Submarine Force, addressed the crew in front of the ARA Salta, expressing the following statements: ‘This exercise not only served as an opportunity to test emergency protocols but also as a reminder of the value of teamwork and the constant preparation of the personnel that make up this Unit.’
It is worth noting that the entire exercise was internationally observed by the International Submarine Escape and Rescue Liaison Office (ISMERLO), an organization that conducts various activities related to practice. ISMERLO, founded by NATO, now provides assistance in outlining protocols and exercises, developing new technologies to aid in crew escape from circumstances such as those simulated, and, in summary, disseminating data and recommendations to different naval forces worldwide to enhance their practices.
Image credits: Argentine Navy.
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