SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — San Diego is once again playing a role in the deployment of the U.S. Navy’s undersea submarine rescue vessel after it underwent final testing for certification in the waters near Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado.
The U.S. Navy’s Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System (SRDRS) was cleared for full operation on March 23, 2026, after a final manned certification dive to 2,000 feet on March 6 in the ocean off San Diego.
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According to the Navy, the rescue vessel is now once again ready for deployment to rescue submarine crews in case of an emergency and can deploy anywhere in the world within 96 hours, capable of supporting U.S. and allied rescue operations worldwide.
The SRDRS is a 49-foot, tethered, remotely operated system that can rescue up to 16 people at a time.
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PACIFIC OCEAN (March 4, 2026) The specialized Launch and Recovery System (LARS) returns the pressurized rescue module (PRM-1) Falcon aboard Hornbeck Offshore Services (HOS) ship Mauser following the completion of a controlled manned dive evolution off the coast of San Diego, March 4, 2026. URC is composed of active duty and Reserve Component Sailors and operations and maintenance contractors located in San Diego, Calif., and is home to the U.S. Navy’s manned deep diving submarine rescue submersible. The team provides administrative, maintenance, operations, and logistics oversight for the Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System (SRDRS) and Sibitzky Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Tiarra Brown)
The March 2026 recertification of the submarine rescue vessel is part of a multi-year collaboration between the Undersea Rescue Command (URC), Submarine Squadron 11, Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Commander, Submarine Forces, Naval Sea Systems Command, Program Executive Office Attack Submarines and the Undersea Special Missions Program Office (PMS 390).
The Navy says SRDRS consists of three systems:
Assessment/Underwater Work System (AUWS): Consists of a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) for assessment of a disabled sub and rescue hatch clearance down to 2,000 feet of seawater.
Submarine Rescue System – Rescue Capable System (SRS-RCS): RCS Pressurized Rescue Module (PRM) provides a tethered, remotely-operated vehicle capable of rescuing 16 personnel per trip.
Submarine Decompression System (SRS-SDS): Will provide a transfer-under-pressure capability for hyperbaric treatment of Sailors rescued from a pressurized sub.
“This successful dive signifies a major milestone for the Navy,” said Rear Adm. Jonathan Rucker, Program Executive Officer, Attack Submarines. “We hold ourselves to extremely high standards in the undersea community. Going through this process shows that the team is ready to meet and exceed those standards. This accomplishment is a direct result of the whole team’s dedication.”
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“Being onboard the Pressurized Rescue Module (PRM) during its certification dive to 2,000 feet was an awe-inspiring experience, demonstrating the effectiveness of this system, and the professionalism and expertise of the entire team,” said Capt. David McGlone, Program Manager for PMS 390.
Active and reserve Undersea Rescue Command (URC) Sailors, based in San Diego, and operations and maintenance contractors in San Diego operate the SRDRS as the U.S. Navy’s only submarine rescue-capable command at Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado. SRDRS is government-owned and contractor-operated.
The Navy said SRDRS was developed after the retirement of Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles (DSRVs) in 2008 and has to be regularly recertified to ensure safety.
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