DSRV-1 Mystic
{{short description|US Navy deep-submergence rescue vehicle}}
| {{Infobox ship begin |display title=DSRV-1 Mystic}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=DSRV-Mystic.jpg |Ship caption=DSRV-1 (Mystic) docked to a {{sclass|Los Angeles|submarine|0}} attack submarine. }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country=United States |Ship flag={{USN flag|1970}} |Ship name=*Official: DSRV-1
|Ship namesake=The village of Mystic, Connecticut |Ship ordered= |Ship builder=Lockheed Missiles and Space Company, Sunnyvale, California |Ship laid down= |Ship launched=24 January 1970 |Ship acquired=1 June 1970 |Ship commissioned= |Ship decommissioned= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service=1 October 2008 |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship honours= |Ship fate= |Ship status= |Ship notes= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class=DSRV-1- (Mystic-) class deep submergence rescue vehicle |Ship displacement=30.5 tons surfaced, 37 tons submerged |Ship length={{convert|49|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship beam={{convert|8|ft|m|abbr=on}}; Width {{convert|11|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship draught= |Ship draft= |Ship power=15 shaft horsepower (11.2 kilowatt) |Ship propulsion=Electric motors, silver-zinc batteries, one shaft, four thrusters |Ship speed={{convert|4|kn|lk=in}} |Ship range= |Ship endurance=30 hours submerged at 3 knots (5.6 km/h) |Ship test depth=5,000 feet (1,500 m) |Ship capacity=24 passengers |Ship complement=Four (two pilots and two rescue personnel) |Ship sensors= |Ship EW= |Ship armament= |Ship armour= |Ship armor= |Ship aircraft= |Ship aircraft facilities= |Ship notes= }} |
DSRV-1 Mystic is a deep-submergence rescue vehicle that is rated to dive up to 5,000 feet (1,500 m). It was built by Lockheed for the US Navy at a construction cost of $41 million and launched 24 January 1970.{{cite journal|last=Ryan |first=Mary |year=2011 |title=Rescuing Submariners: From DSRVs to the SRDRS |journal=Undersea Quarterly |publisher=Naval Undersea Museum Foundation |volume=15 |issue=2 |pages=1–6 |url=http://www.navalunderseamuseum.org/media/343fd56e4cd33a98ffff80d6ffffe905.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325165015/http://www.navalunderseamuseum.org/media/343fd56e4cd33a98ffff80d6ffffe905.pdf |archive-date=2014-03-25 }} It was declared fully operational in 1977 and named Mystic.{{cite book|last=Polmar|first=Norman|title=Naval Institute Guide to the Ships and Aircraft of the Us Fleet|edition=18|date=January 15, 2005|publisher=Naval Institute Press|isbn=9781591146858|pages=[https://archive.org/details/navalinstitutegu0018polm/page/95 95–96]|url=https://archive.org/details/navalinstitutegu0018polm/page/95}} The Mystic or the Avalon could be deployed to rescue survivors of a disabled submarine.
The submarine was intended to be air transportable; it was {{convert|50|ft|m}} long and {{convert|8|ft|m}} in diameter, and it weighed 37 tons. The sub was capable of descending to {{convert|5000|ft|m}} below the surface and could carry 24 passengers at a time, in addition to its crew. It was stationed at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego and was never required to conduct an actual rescue operation. Mystic was replaced by the SRDRS on September 30, 2008, and began deactivation on October 1, 2008.{{cite web|url=http://www.navalunderseamuseum.org/media/6c06204b6731dd48ffff833effffe906.pdf |title=Deep Quest |work=Artifact Spotlight |publisher=Naval Undersea Museum |access-date=25 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325165020/http://www.navalunderseamuseum.org/media/6c06204b6731dd48ffff833effffe906.pdf |archive-date=25 March 2014 }} In October 2014, the submarine was donated to the Naval Undersea Museum,{{cite web|url=http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=90295|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150802093104/http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=90295|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 2, 2015|title=Naval Undersea Museum Keyport Opens DSRV Mystic To VIPs|publisher=United States Navy|date=2015-07-23}} and restored in February 2021.{{Cite web |last=Farley |first=Josh |date=February 22, 2021 |title=Deep-diving Mystic restored at Navy's undersea museum in Keyport |url=https://www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/2021/02/22/deep-diving-mystic-restored-navys-undersea-museum-keyport/4510093001/ |access-date=May 12, 2024 |publisher=Kitsap Sun}}
History
After the sinking of the submarine USS Thresher (SSN 593) in April 1963, the United States Navy discovered multiple limitations in deep sea rescue capabilities using the McCann’s rescue bells, developed by Allan McCann in 1929. This led to the United States Navy creating the Deep Submergence Systems Project in 1964 to create a rescue vehicle for submarines. This project created two rescue submersibles, Mystic (DSRV 1) and Avalon (DSRV 2). The Mystic was launched in January 1970, and entered full operational status in 1977. It was eventually replaced in 2006 and replaced by the PRM (Pressurized Rescue Module) FALCON, which is part of the SRDRS (Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System). This updated system is easier and faster to deploy than the DSRVs, controlled remotely, and crew is transferred to a decompression to avoid sudden pressure changes.{{Cite web |last=Curator |first=USNUM |date=2016-09-23 |title=DSRV Mystic |url=https://navalunderseamuseum.org/dsrv-mystic/ |access-date=2024-06-02 |website=U. S. Naval Undersea Museum |language=en-US}}{{Cite journal |last1=Kiciński |first1=Radosław |last2=Szturomski |first2=Bogdan |last3=Marchel |first3=Łukasz |date=2021-10-01 |title=A more reasonable model for submarines rescues seat strength analysis |journal=Ocean Engineering |volume=237 |pages=109580 |doi=10.1016/j.oceaneng.2021.109580 |issn=0029-8018|doi-access=free }}
Design
The DSRV had to hover in place to access the disabled submarine. This was a difficult task to perform because of the ocean currents and the movement of the water. A special system was developed to control the ballast and the thrusters to make precise movements. This maneuverability meant that the DSRV could hold an underwater position of which is less than an inch of the target. It is capable of reaching a sunken ship on its own, landing on its rescue seat, creating a water tight connection between the sunken submarine and the rescue vehicle.
The hull of the submersible is made of fiberglass, with three interconnected compartments for the stranded crew. These compartments are made of high strength steel to protect the crew and rescuers. It can hold up to 24 survivors. The Mystic could operate at a maximum depth of 5,000 feet under the water.
The Mystic is equipped with electric propulsion, batteries, sonar, navigation systems, and communicating, operated by two pilots. The Mystic is also equipped with an arm to clear debris on hatches, which contains a combined gripper and cable cutter.
Image:DSRV-1 loaded into AN-124.jpg cargo aircraft of Volga-Dnepr Airlines]]
Operation and transport
The DSRV can be transported by sea, air and land and could be deployed anywhere in the world within 72 hours. It could be attached to a mother submarine or rescue ship and be carried to the distressed submarine. The DSRV attached to the distressed submarine’s escape hatch creating a watertight seal, allowing survivors to move between the distressed submarine and the rescue vessel.
Numerous training and practice exercises were conducted, but it was never used for a real rescue operation.
Characteristics of the vessel
Length: 49.7 feet
Width: 8.2 feet
Height: 9.5 feet
Speed: 4.1 knots (4.7 mi/hr)
Endurance: (12 hours at 3 knots (3.5 mi/hr)
Maximum Operating Depth: 5,000 feet
Capacity: 3-4 DSRV crew, 24 survivors per trip
Status: Decommissioned; Replaced by the Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System
See also
- {{annotated link|Mystic-class deep-submergence rescue vehicle}}
- {{annotated link|DSRV-2 Avalon|DSRV-2 Avalon}}
Awards
- Meritorious Unit Citation with 3 stars (4 awards)
- Navy E Ribbon (3 awards)
- National Defense Service Medal with star (2 awards)
References
- {{Naval Vessel Register|{{Naval Vessel Register service craft URL|id=DSRV1}}}}
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08545.htm NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive Mystic (DSRV-1)]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20050527203757/http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4100&tid=500&ct=4 USN Factfile DSRV 1 & 2]
- Liewer, Steve, "Goodbye To Mystic Minisub, Hello To Falcon", San Diego Union-Tribune, March 6, 2009.
{{Mystic class deep submergence rescue vehicle}}
{{Underwater diving|other}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Mystic (DSRV-1)}}
Category:Mystic-class deep-submergence rescue vehicles
Category:Cold War submarines of the United States
Category:Ships built in the San Francisco Bay Area
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