DSRV-1 Mystic

DSRV-1 (Mystic) docked to a Los Angeles-class attack submarine.
Career (United States)
Name: Official: DSRV-1
Unofficial: Mystic
Namesake: Mystic, a village in Connecticut
Builder: Lockheed Missiles and Space Company, Sunnyvale, California
Launched: 24 January 1970
Acquired: 1 June 1970
Out of service: 1 October 2008
General characteristics
Class and type:DSRV-1- (Mystic-) class deep submergence rescue vehicle
Displacement:30.5 tons surfaced, 37 tons submerged
Length:49 ft (15 m)
Beam:8 ft (2.4 m); Width 11 ft (3.4 m)
Installed power:15 shaft horsepower (0.2 kilowatt)
Propulsion:Electric motors, silver-zinc batteries, one shaft, four thrusters
Speed:4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph)
Endurance:30 hours submerged at 3 knots (5.6 km/h)
Test depth:5,000 feet (1,500 m)
Capacity:24 passengers
Complement:Four (two pilots and two rescue personnel)

DSRV-1 Mystic is a Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle that is rated to dive up to 5000 feet (1500 m). DSRV-1 was built by Lockheed for the U.S. Navy at a construction cost of $41 million and launched 24 January 1970.[1] It was declared fully operational in 1977 and named Mystic.[2]

Mystic loaded aboard a Russian Antonov An-124 cargo aircraft.

The submarine, intended to be air transportable, was 50 feet (15 m) long, 8 feet (2.4 m) in diameter, and weighed 37 tons. The sub was capable of descending to 5,000 feet (1,500 m) below the surface and could carry 24 passengers at a time in addition to its crew. The sub was stationed at North Island Naval Station in San Diego and was never required to conduct an actual rescue operation. Last pilot to qualify was STS1(SS/DV) Jason E. Clayton. Mystic was replaced by the SRDRS on September 30, 2008 and began deactivation on October 1, 2008.[3] The submarine may be donated to the Naval Undersea Museum.

In fiction

In fiction, it was used in the 1978 film Gray Lady Down as a rescue vehicle following a submarine accident, as well as Tom Clancy's novel The Hunt for Red October and film based on it The Hunt for Red October to ferry men from the USS Dallas to the Red October.

See also

References

  1. Ryan, Mary (2011). "Rescuing Submariners: From DSRVs to the SRDRS" (PDF). Undersea Quarterly (Naval Undersea Museum Foundation) 15 (2): 1–6.
  2. Polmar, Norman (January 15, 2005). Naval Institute Guide to the Ships and Aircraft of the Us Fleet (18 ed.). Naval Institute Press. pp. 95–96. ISBN 9781591146858.
  3. "Deep Quest" (PDF). Artifact Spotlight:. Naval Undersea Museum. Retrieved 25 March 2014.

External links