Deep - submergence rescue vehicle A Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle ( DSRV ) is a type of Deep Submergence Vehicle used for rescue of downed submarines and clandestine missions . While DSRV is the term most often used by the United States Navy other nations have different designations for their vehicles . List of Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles . Australian models . ASRV " Remora " ( " Really Excellent Method Of Rescuing Aussies " ) was the Australian navy ' s DSRV . It is based on a diving bell design . Chinese models . The People ' s Republic of China has three Dajiang ( 大江 ) class submarine rescue ships . Each ship is equipped with two DSRV . The lead ship of the Dajiang class is the " Changxingdao " ( 長興島 , 861 ) . European models . France , Norway and the UK share the NATO Submarine Rescue System programme . Swedish Navy has submarine rescue ship HMS Belos ( A214 ) which can carry Swedish submarine rescue vessel ( wiki currently only available in Swedish ) as well as British LR5 . Italy models . Italy operates the SRV - 300 submersible in a submarine rescue role . The SRV - 300 , built by Drass - Galeazzi , was delivered in 1999 and can rescue a submersile up to 300m , hosting 12 persons in the rescue compartment . The submarine , modified as deployable about in year 2010 ( and maybe update for operate up to 450 m ) , operates from the mother ship Anteo . SRV - 300 replace USEL / MSM - 1 , build by Cantieri Navali Breda ( Venezia ) , and used since 1977 in the same role : was able to host 10 persons in the rescue compartment . SRV - 300 will be replaced by a new version under development , the DRASS Galeazzi SRV - 650 with a maximum depth of 650m and with an hosting capability of 15 persons in the rescue compartment , developed for operates from the new Italian mother ship ARS / USSP of about 8 . 000 t . Japanese models . The Japan Maritime Self - Defense Force operate two DSRVs with dedicated mother ships . Korean models . The Korean navy operates a submarine rescue ship called " Cheong Haejin " . It has a dedicated mother ship . The model is based on a modified British design . Russian models . Russia is believed to have one vessel of the " Bester " class and five of the " Priz " class , which was involved in the failed attempt to rescue the crew of the Kursk . Singapore model . MV Swift Rescue , launched 29 November 2008 , is Singapore ' s first and only submarine recovery vessel . It is equipped with a deep submergence rescue vehicle . United Kingdom models . The United Kingdom operates the LR5 submersible in a submarine rescue role . It previously operated the Slingsby Engineering built LR3 . United States models . The mode of deployment for these United States submersibles is : fly the vehicle to the port closest to the incident ; attach the vehicle to a host submarine ; the host submarine travels to the incident site ; rescue . The DSRVs were originally designed to work with USS " Pigeon " and USS " Ortolan " , but those two vessels have since been decommissioned and replaced by the Submarine Rescue Diving Recompression System . Operation . The Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle ( DSRV ) is designed to rescue 24 people at a time at depths of up to 600 m ( 2000 ft ) . Their maximum operating depth is 1500 m ( 5000 ft ) . Power is provided by 2 large batteries , one fore , and one aft that power the electrical , hydraulic and life support systems . The DSRV uses mercury in a completely sealed system to allow themselves to match any angle ( up to 45° ) in both pitch and roll so as to " mate " ( attach ) to a downed submarine that may be at an angle on the sea floor . The DSRV is capable of being transported by Air Force C - 5 to anywhere in the world within 24 hours . It is then loaded onto a " Mother Submarine " ( MOSUB ) . The MOSUB then carries the DSRV to the rescue site where several trips are made to rescue all personnel . Rescue is usually accomplished by ferrying rescuees from the stranded sub to the MOSUB , however , they can also be taken to a properly equipped surface support ship . In addition to a number of U . S . Navy submarines being outfitted for MOSUB capabilities , several NATO countries also have submarines outfitted to carry the U . S . Navy DSRV for rescue capability as needed . Both the UK and French Navies have such submarines . The interior of the DSRV is composed of 3 spheres . The forward sphere is the " Control Sphere " where the DSRV ' s pilot and copilot operate the vehicle . The two aft spheres ( known as Mid Sphere and Aft Sphere ) are used to seat the rescuees or to install equipment for additional operations . Maneuvering is accomplished using 4 thrusters and one main propeller .