Recompression chambers for Type 45s
A recent successful trial has confirmed that the British Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyers can now deploy recompression chambers for submarine rescue, it was announced on 27 September.
The Submarine Escape Rescue and Survival Team (SMERAS) from Gosport conducted the trial on HMS Dauntless.
The ability to fit recompression chambers to the Type 45 flight deck expands the deployment options for the navy's two recompression chambers; until now only Type 23 frigates were able to deploy the emergency stores which are held at six hours’ notice to move in HMNB Devonport in Plymouth.
Each recompression chamber is housed in an ISO container, weighs 13.6 tonnes and can accommodate 11 people. It shrinks the size of the damaging gas bubbles that are formed in the tissues of divers – or submariners who have undertaken an emergency departure from their boat – who rise to surface too quickly.
Steve Micallef, SMERAS Warrant Officer, said: 'In the unlikely event of a submarine being in distress, our preferred method of rescue is clearly on the surface, or via the NATO Submarine Rescue System from HMNB Clyde in Scotland.
'If submariners have to leave their boats underwater, they could possibly suffer from the bends, or decompression sickness. So being able to have a broader range of surface ships to carry our two recompression chambers quickly to the scene provides us with more options, should our services ever be required.'
More from Defence Notes
-
Amazon Project Kuiper offers network-centric approach to sovereignty of space systems (Studio)
Shephard's Alix Valenti interviewed Project Kuiper's Don Brown at DSEI 2025, discussing the company's innovative approach to sovereignty of space communications systems, which focuses on being able to control the network rather than ownership of satellite constellations.
-
Amazon Project Kuiper emphasises user-friendly solutions for multi-domain connectivity (Studio)
At DSEI 2025, Shephard's Alix Valenti spoke to Project Kuiper's Rich Pang about the importance of enabling seamless communication between allied forces such as NATO members in challenging operational environments.
-
Amazon Project Kuiper teams up with GRC to offer governments unprecedented capabilities (Studio)
At DSEI 2025, Amazon Project Kuiper's Don Brown and GRC's Steve Slater talked to Shephard's Alix Valenti about how their partnership can offer unique capabilities in defence SATCOM to government customers, with a focus on assurance, security and choice.
-
DSEI 2025: Raytheon UK CEO highlights RTX skills, innovation and UK footprint
At DSEI 2025, James Gray, Managing Director and CEO of Raytheon UK (part of RTX), outlines the company’s century-long presence in the UK and its evolving role across defence, aerospace, cyber, and training domains.
-
Israel defence ministry pushes ambitious spending plans for tanks, drones and KC-46 aircraft
The procurement and acceleration production plans – some of which still await approval – across the air and land domains will aim to strengthen the operational needs of the Israel Defense Forces.
-
US reforms its defence acquisition system to focus on commercial capabilities
This shift is planned to accelerate the procurement and fielding of capabilities. As part of this strategy, the US also intends modernise its regulations in an attempt to change its bureaucratic and risk-averse culture.