Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Arthurgwain Marquez | Navy Diver 2nd Class Brandon Barreto, assigned to Mobile Diving Salvage Unit (MDSU) 2,...... read more read more
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NORFOLK, Va. – The deep-sea divers of Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 2 led an aircraft salvage and battle damage repair (BDR) rehearsal of concepts (ROC) with Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Gonzalez (DDG 66) off the coast of North Carolina during Large-Scale Exercise (LSE) 2021 from Aug. 10-15.
The rehearsal was conducted to test MDSU 2’s rapid response capability to stricken vessels during conflict by clear waterways of downed aircraft, and recovering sensitive items through salvage operations.
“We’re trying to increase awareness of MDSU 2’s unique capability in a simulated wartime environment by demonstrating BDR with Gonzalez,” said Chief Warrant Officer Two Beau Lontine, MDSU 2, company 2-2 commander.
In the BDR scenario, a simulated enemy explosive device struck Gonzalez in a contested environment. MDSU 2 personnel assessed battle damage within the ship and coordinated with Gonzalez’ crew to make the ship safe for diving operations.
Divers then entered the water to complete the necessary emergent patching for the vessel to get underway and return to port to receive repairs.
“In this situation, we need to deploy fast,” said Navy Diver 3rd Class Aiden Lockard. “As divers, we have to make sure we’re ready for anything in any underwater environment. We have to properly install that patch and stop the leaking to get the ship back in the fight.”
The emergent patch installed is approximately two-by-three feet in size and is affixed with using magnetic anchors and an underwater drill. Since the BDR exercise presented simulated damage, divers did not actually perform drilling on the ship’s hull.
In the aircraft salvage scenario, MDSU 2 was tasked to search and recovery a simulated F/A-18 aircraft fuselage shape out of the water.
MDSU 2 deployed their Area Search Platoon (ASP) team, and performed undersea surveys of the ocean floor, searching approximated last known coordinates of the downed aircraft simulator.
After locating the aircraft, divers deployed and performed underwater rigging using heavy-lift slings, in conjunction with a vessel of opportunity’s crane and back deck to place the salvaged aircraft.
Based on lessons learned from the rehearsal of concepts, MDSU 2 and supporting units continue to experiment with new emergent response technologies and build upon their strengths as an integrated force.
“MDSU 2 affects the Navy’s warfighting readiness by having the ability to use emerging technology and continually improving on our tactics techniques and procedures,” said Lontine. “When it comes to BDR, the Navy divers at MDSU 2 are the best at what we do; our focus is to return ships to the fight. We proved we can perform under pressure, and when the time comes, we’ll be ready.”
LSE 2021 demonstrates the Navy’s ability to employ precise, lethal, and overwhelming force globally across three naval component commands, five numbered fleets, and 17 time zones. LSE 2021 merges live and synthetic training capabilities to create an intense, robust training environment. It will connect high-fidelity training and real-world operations, to build knowledge and skills needed in today’s complex, multi-domain, and contested environment.
MDSU 2 is part of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group (EODGRU) 2, which oversees all east coast explosive ordnance disposal and a mobile diving and salvage unit which are capable of providing skilled, capable, and combat-ready deployable forces around the globe to support a range of operations.
| Date Taken: | 08.24.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 08.26.2021 14:48 |
| Story ID: | 403972 |
| Location: | VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 594 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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