June 2011 - Supervisor of Salvage and Diving

NEDU, Panama City, Fla. The
Navy recently completed a series
of milestone test events for the new
Saturation Flyaway Diving System (SAT
FADS) at Naval Experimental
Diving Unit
(NEDU), Panama City
Fla. This testing included
both a 250 and 1000
feet of sea water (fsw)
manned dry saturation
dive pier side.
In June of 2010 the
decision was made for
the Navy to take custodial
control of SAT
FADS and the system
was subsequently loaded
and shipped from
Phoenix Internal in
Largo, MD to NEDU
in Panama City Beach
Fla. With NAVSEA 00C
SAT FADS Program Office
oversight, NEDU
SAT FADS Division,
led by Saturation Master
Diver Kent Johnson,
was tasked with the
accomplishment of the
remaining hydraulic,
mechanical and electrical prerequisite
testing and all system integration testing.
This decision resulted in an extraordinary
cumulative improvement in reducing total
certification cost, logistical support
and achievement of critical certification
timelines.
Following the successful completion
of the first 250 fsw manned dry saturation
dive pier side that surfaced on April
8 th 2011, the Navy commenced a 12-day
manned 1,000 feet sea water (fsw) dry
saturation dive on April 18 th 2011. This
dive included staged systems integration
testing and evaluations at the systems’
maximum operational depth. The staged
integration testing which was accomplished
at 250’, 500’, 750’ and 1,000 fsw,
was performed to verify that all systems
and subsystems could be operated concurrently,
as designed. This testing was
also used to verify that the system operating
procedures can be used to operate
the system safely and provide operating
procedure validation.
ND1 Jeremiah Ruddell - HM3 Javier Lopez
NDCS Somsack Phanthavong - ND1 Jeremy Post
ND1 Charles Bass - ND1 Jad Graves
This test is the last step prior to
going to sea for manned at sea testing,
which includes open water excursions to
1000 fsw. This event marks a major milestone
towards achieving a critical saturation
diving capability to support Navy
salvage and recovery operations around
the world.
The SAT FADS
system is designed
to support six divers
working on the bottom
of the ocean for
a period of 21 days,
with an additional
nine days of decompression.
This asset
greatly increases the
Navy’s salvage capabilities
allowing us
to put United States
Navy Saturation Divers to greater ocean
depths than previously attainable, as well
as provide a one of a kind training platform
for future Navy Saturation Divers.
The system will replace
two decommissioned
Pigeon-Class submarine
rescue vessels, which
operated to 850 fsw. SAT
FADS not only provides
the increased mobility
and depth capability, but
retains a vital operational
salvage and recovery
resource at a substantial
cost reduction to the
Navy with its focus on
total cost ownership.
The entire SAT
FADS system has a footprint
measuring 40 feet
x 90 feet and includes the
main deck decompression
chamber, manned
dive bell, bell handling
system, command and
control center, and two
auxiliary support equipment
containers, bulk
helium and oxygen storage
racks. Living quarters
are located in the
deck decompression chamber.
Mr. Marty Russell, NUWC Keyport is the SAT
FADS Test Director and Deputy Program Manager.
Naval Experimental Diving Unit is a field
activity of Naval Sea Systems Command.
June 2011 7