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HomeMediaSpecial CoverageU.S. Military Support to Argentina Submarine Search

# U.S. Military Support to Argentina Submarine Search

## The United States supported operations assisting the search for the Argentine submarine A.R.A. San Juan in the South Atlantic in late 2027, as requested by the government of Argentina. At its height, U.S. contributions to the search and rescue effort included three advanced aircraft, over 200 search and rescue personnel, four submersibles, one specialized underwater rescue unit, one ship, and more than 400 sonar buoys dropped in support of the operation.

R/V Atlantis loads equipment for Argentine submarine rescue - 171204-N-HS500-003 COMODORO RIVADAVIA, Argentina (Dec. 4, 2017). The R/V Atlantis, a U.S. Navy owned research vessel, is loaded with the cable-controlled Undersea Recovery Vehicle (CURV-21) in Comodoro Rivadavia Dec. 4, 2017. The CURV is designed to meet the U.S. Navy’s deep ocean salvage requirements down to a maximum depth of 20,000 feet and will be used in support of the Argentine Navy search efforts of the ARA San Juan (S-42) (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Christopher Lange/Released).

171122-N-IT277-010 - 171122-N-IT277-010Argentina (Nov. 22, 2017) Aviation Warfare Operator Matthew Baker, from Patrol Squadron (VP) 10, Red Lancers, operates a radar on a P-8a Poseidon aircraft. The Red Lancers are in Argentina as part of a detachment from Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11 that has been assisting the Argentine military in locating a missing Argentine submarine and it’s 44 crew members. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Sean R. Morton/Released)

171122-N-IT277-012 - 171122-N-IT277-012Argentina (Nov. 22, 2017) Lieutenant Junior Grade Jimmy Boyd, from Patrol Squadron (VP) 10, Red Lancers, coordinates tactics on a P-8a Poseidon aircraft. The Red Lancers are in Argentina as part of a detachment from Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11 that has been assisting the Argentine military in locating a missing Argentine submarine and it’s 44 crew members. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Sean R. Morton/Released)

171122-N-IT277-015 - 171122-N-IT277-015Argentina (Nov. 22, 2017) A reporter from Reuters films pilots from Patrol Squadron (VP) 10, Red Lancers, on a P-8a Poseidon aircraft. The Red Lancers are in Argentina as part of a detachment from Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11 that has been assisting the Argentine military in locating a missing Argentine submarine and it’s 44 crew members. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Sean R. Morton/Released)

Undersea Rescue Command Loads Equipment to Assist Argentine Submarine - 171123-N-TW634-063 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Nov. 23, 2017) Argentine sailors retrieve side scanning sonar equipment from Undersea Rescue Command on board the Norwegian construction support vessel Skandi Patagonia. Undersea Rescue Command, the U.S. Navy's only submarine rescue unit, is mobilized to support the Argentine government's search and rescue efforts for the Argentine Navy diesel-electric submarine A.R.A San Juan. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Derek Harkins/Released)

171124-N-IT277-039 - 171124-N-IT277-039Bahia Blanca, ARGENTINA (Nov. 23, 2017) Members of the Argentine Navy help Sailors from the ‘Mad Foxes’ of Patrol Squadron (VP) 5 and the ‘Pelicans’ of VP-45 load sonobouys onto a P8-A Poseidon aircraft.  Sailors from VP-5 and VP-45 are currently in Bahia Blanca as part of a detachment from Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing (CPRW) 11 assisting the Argentine military in their search for the missing Argentine submarine ARA San Juan.  (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Sean R. Morton/Released)

Undersea Rescue Command Loads Equipment to Assist Argentine Submarine - 171124-N-TW634-170 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Nov. 24, 2017) Cmdr. Michael Eberlein, commanding officer of Undersea Rescue Command, and Chief Information Systems Technician (Submarines) Matthew Johnson, assigned to Undersea Rescue Command (URC), stand watch with fellow U.S. Sailors and Argentine sailors on the bridge of the Norwegian construction support vessel Skandi Patagonia. Undersea Rescue Command, the U.S. Navy's only submarine rescue unit, is mobilized to support the Argentine government's search and rescue efforts for the Argentine Navy diesel-electric submarine A.R.A San Juan (S 42). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Derek Harkins/Released)

ARGENTINA - 171124-N-TY130-125 COMODORO RIVADAVIA, Argentina (Nov. 24, 2017) Lt. Damian Gutierrez, Argentine Navy Submarine Officer and Lt. Cdr. Commander Wendell Holmes, undersea rescue command engineer, discuss the modifications of the motor vessel Sophie Siem necessary for the Pressurized Rescue Module (PRM). Undersea Rescue Command, the U.S. Navy's only submarine rescue unit, mobilized to support the Argentine government's search and rescue efforts for the Argentine Navy diesel-electric submarine ARA San Juan. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Karl Schonberg/Released)

ARGENTINA - 171126-N-HS500-001 COMODORO RIVADAVIA, Argentina (Nov. 26, 2017) Undersea Rescue Command (URC) and Argentine construction workers prepare the motor vessel Sophie Siem for the installation of the Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System (SRDRS) which operates the deep diving rescue vehicle, the Pressurized Rescue Module (PRM). Undersea Rescue Command, the U.S. Navy's only submarine rescue unit, mobilized to support the Argentine government's search and rescue efforts for the Argentine Navy diesel-electric submarine ARA San Juan. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Christopher Lange/Released)

ARGENTINA - 171126-N-HS500-003 COMODORO RIVADAVIA, Argentina (Nov. 26, 2017) Undersea Rescue Command (URC) and Argentine construction workers prepare the motor vessel Sophie Siem for the installation of the Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System (SRDRS) which operates the deep diving rescue vehicle, the Pressurized Rescue Module (PRM). Undersea Rescue Command, the U.S. Navy's only submarine rescue unit, mobilized to support the Argentine government's search and rescue efforts for the Argentine Navy diesel-electric submarine ARA San Juan. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Christopher Lange/Released)

ARGENTINA - 171126-N-HS500-005 COMODORO RIVADAVIA, Argentina (Nov. 26, 2017) Undersea Rescue Command (URC) and Argentine construction workers prepare the motor vessel Sophie Siem for the installation of the Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System (SRDRS) which operates the deep diving rescue vehicle, the Pressurized Rescue Module (PRM). Undersea Rescue Command, the U.S. Navy's only submarine rescue unit, mobilized to support the Argentine government's search and rescue efforts for the Argentine Navy diesel-electric submarine ARA San Juan. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Christopher Lange/Released)

ARGENTINA - 171126-N-TY130-001 COMODORO RIVADAVIA, Argentina (Nov. 26, 2017) Argentine Navy Capt. Perez Kuhn thanks the remaining crew of Undersea Rescue Command (URC) and the departing Sailors prior to the motor vessel  Sophie Siem getting underway. The Sophie Siem carries the Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System (SRDRS) which operates the deep diving rescue vehicle, the Pressurized Rescue Module (PRM). Undersea Rescue Command, the U.S. Navy's only submarine rescue unit, mobilized to support the Argentine government's search and rescue efforts for the Argentine Navy diesel-electric submarine ARA San Juan. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Karl Schonberg/Released)

ARGENTINA - 171126-N-TY130-403 COMODORO RIVADAVIA, Argentina (Nov. 26, 2017) The motor vessel Sophie Siem gets underway from Comodoro Rivadavia, Argentina with Undersea Rescue Command (URC) and the Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System (SRDRS) which operates the deep diving rescue vehicle, the Pressurized Rescue Module (PRM). Undersea Rescue Command, the U.S. Navy's only submarine rescue unit, mobilized to support the Argentine government's search and rescue efforts for the Argentine Navy diesel-electric submarine ARA San Juan. (U.S. Navy photo by Cmdr. Joe Bell/Released)

Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) to Argentina - Official U.S. Navy file photo of a Bluefin-21. The U.S. Navy has deployed unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) to join in the search for the Argentine navy's submarine, A.R.A. San Juan, in South Atlantic waters. The equipment consists of one Bluefin 12D (Deep) UUV and three Iver 580 UUVs, which are operated by the U.S. Navy's recently-established Unmanned Undersea Vehicle Squadron 1, based in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Pressurized Rescue Module to Argentina - Official U.S. Navy file photo of the Pressurized Rescue Module. The U.S. Navy has ordered its Undersea Rescue Command (URC) based in San Diego to deploy to Argentina Nov. 18, to support the South American nation's ongoing search for the Argentinean Navy submarine A.R.A. San Juan in the Southern Atlantic.

Latest Imagery from Argentina Sub Support

RELEASE: U.S. Adjusts Support to ARA San Juan Search Operations

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US Deploys CURV-21 in Argentine Submarine Search

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 US Navy Transitions to Search and Recovery in Search for ARA San Juan 

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RELEASE: U.S. Deploys Unmanned Submersibles in Argentine Submarine Search

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RELEASE: One More U.S. Navy P-8A Aircraft Joins Argentina’s Submarine Search

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RELEASE: U.S. Navy to Deploy Undersea Rescue Capabilities to Argentina

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RELEASE: U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon to Support Argentina Search for Submarine

## Overview of U.S. Military Support

*Updated Dec. 27, 2017*

### Recent Support

(See US Adjusts Support to ARA San Juan Search Operations Press Release)

R/V Atlantis, an oceanographic research ship under charter with the U.S. Navy’s Office of Naval Research, took part in the search. The ship brought advanced precision navigation, seafloor mapping sonar and satellite communications to the effort.

The U.S. Navy deployed the Cable operated Unmanned Recovery Vehicle (CURV) 21 to support search efforts onboard R/V Atlantis. The CURV-21 is a 6,400-pound Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) that is designed to meet the U.S. Navy's deep ocean salvage requirements down to a maximum depth of 20,000 feet of seawater.

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### Previous Support

****
(See Transition to Search and Recovery Press Release)

From Nov. 17 - 30, two U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon multi-mission maritime aircraft assisted in search efforts. The P-8A is the Navy’s newest maritime, patrol and reconnaissance aircraft and is configured with state-of-the-art sensors and communications equipment, allowing it to support a wide range of missions over large bodies of water, including sub-surface search-and-rescue operations. 

From Nov. 18 - 30, two independent rescue assets from URC were deployed to assist:
                        - The Submarine Rescue Chamber (SRC) and underwater intervention Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). The SRC  is a McCann rescue chamber designed during World War II and still used today. SRC can rescue up to six persons at a time and reach a bottomed submarine at depths of 850 feet.
                        - The Pressurized Rescue Module (PRM) and supporting equipment.  The PRM can submerge up to 2,000 feet for docking and mating, with a submarine settled on the ocean floor up to 45-degree angle in both pitch and roll. The PRM can rescue up to 16 personnel at a time. 

The U.S. Navy also deployed unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) to join in the search. The equipment consisted of one Bluefin 12D (Deep) UUV and three Iver 580 UUVs, which are operated by the U.S. Navy’s recently-established Unmanned Undersea Vehicle Squadron 1, based in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

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