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Updated: 22-Jun-2005 NATO Update

22 June 2005
Exercise Sorbet Royal tests submarine rescue procedures
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22/06/2005 - IMS
Exercise Sorbet Royal (SR 05)
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NATO exercise Sorbet Royal 2005

Participants from 14 countries are attempting to rescue over 200 sailors ‘trapped’ in sunken submarines in NATO’s largest and most challenging live submarine escape and rescue exercise, Sorbet Royal 2005, 17-30 June.

The exercise is designed to test the capability of international submarine escape and rescue personnel, equipment and procedures to cope with the most extreme submarine rescue missions.

Escape from the deep

During three weeks, four submarines from Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Turkey will be ‘sunk’ to the bottom of the sea, each with a full crew of 52 persons.

Rescue forces with a range of sophisticated rescue vehicles and systems from Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, together with specialist divers, medical teams and support and salvage ships from Canada, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, will work together to solve complex rescue and medical problems in a variety of demanding scenarios.

This year - for the first time - units from Russia and Ukraine are taking part, as is Israel, a member of NATO’s Mediterranean Dialogue.

With over 40 different nations now operating submarines worldwide, interest in the exercise is expected to extend to the entire global submarine community including China, Japan, India, Pakistan, Brazil, Chile and many others.