The US Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded Phoenix International Holdings a $29.9 million contract modification to exercise options for the continued maintenance and operation of the Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System.
Under the contract, Phoenix International will provide personnel and services necessary for the mobilization, operation, storage, logistic support, repair and maintenance of the rescue systems, and to mobilize and operate the submarine rescue systems that support the response requirements.
The majority of work (93 percent) will involve services for the US Navy, but the company will also perform work for the Malaysian government. The company has been involved in several attempts to locate the Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (MH370) that disappeared on March 8, 2014.
Phoenix International is the prime contractor for the operation and maintenance of the US Navy’s submarine rescue systems. As the only commercial operations and maintenance firm qualified to conduct maintenance on the systems, Phoenix has the responsibility for carrying out an end-to-end rescue operation, maintaining a high level of readiness for worldwide deployment on a 24-hours-per-day, 7-days-per-week basis.
The US Navy’s submarine rescue diving and recompression system replaced the DSRV system in 2008 and is in charge of rescue operations on submerged, disabled submarines of the US or foreign navies. It is designed for quick deployment in the event of a submarine accident and is transportable by truck, aircraft or ship. SRDRS can embark up to 16 rescued personnel for transfer to the “mother” vessel.