ROYAL NAVY: FIRTH OF CLYDE EXERCISE CANCELLED

FIRTH OF CLYDE EXERCISE CANCELLED

A MILITARY parachute exercise in the Firth of Clyde has been CANCELLED because of adverse conditions.   Exercise Clydesplash was set to take place at 3.30pm and 6.30pm today (Monday, October 26) with members of the Submarine Parachute Assistance Group (SPAG) jumping from an RAF aircraft into waters off Helensburgh seafront.  The exercise activity was always weather dependent however, and regrettably conditions mean that it cannot go ahead. It will NOT be rescheduled for tomorrow..

By Lucy Ashton

MEMBERS of the public on Helensburgh waterfront are set for a front-row view of a military exercise when “Clydesplash” comes to the Firth of Clyde.

Daredevil military personnel from the Submarine Parachute Assistance Group (SPAG) will be testing their rescue capabilities, conducting two jumps from an RAF aircraft into the icy waters off Helensburgh on Monday, October 26.

The Group, which is now based at HM Naval Base Clyde after moving last year from their previous base in Gosport, act as first responders to a submarine in distress.

The mixed team of qualified Royal Navy submariners, divers, medics, Royal Marine and Army Commandos, can be rapidly sent to the scene and deploy by parachute to deliver medical supplies, food and communications equipment to the stricken vessel.

During the upcoming exercise, the team will conduct two jumps on October 26 – the first around 3.30pm and the second at 6.30pm.  Jumps are weather dependent so if they don’t happen on the Monday they may be rescheduled for same times next day (October 27).

Support vessels from 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines and the MOD Police’s Clyde Marine Unit will be on hand to help recover the parachutists from the water.

SUBMARINE PARACHUTE ASSISTANCE GROUP (SPAG) Royal Navy SPAG teams arrive. Exercise Sorbet Royal 02 kattegat, Frederikshavn, Denmark, 21st-31 May 02. A Hercules aeroplane visited Exercise Sorbet Royal. Its cargo was ten special trained parachutists from the UK. They jumped from 1200 feet in the target area, 12 NM off the coast of Frederikshavn. At first they dropped all the necessary equipment on specially designed floating pallets, including a rescue raft with room for 25 people which operates as operations HQ and triage. The parachutists themselves jumped in teams of two and three. once arrived in the sea they swam to their equipment and got it into position for phase two. In the meantime people were busy on board ORP LECH; Doctors and divers were preparing for their tasks. exercise survivors left the Lech as if to be escappees from a submarine. Fifth NATO sponsored Live submarine Search and Rescue exercise and third NATO Submarine Escape and Rescue live exercise open for Partner Participation. Aims: To Demonstrate the ability of the NATO alliance to cooperate in saving lives from distressed submarines of any participating nation, demonstate submarine rescue capability with multiple submarine rescue vehicles and assests. Display the capability and interoperability between NATO submarines, Submarine rescue vehicles and assests from participating nations. To Foster submarine rescue techniques and provide experience and training for all involved. TO Exercise: ventilation of disressed submarines,The medical orginisations procedures equipment and thier comms relating to Submarine rescue,The search element, Familiarise with differing nations equipment and operations, develop new techniques, test a suitable air-road-seaport combination for URF/SRC and LR5( submarine rescue vehicles) deployments.

SUBMARINE PARACHUTE ASSISTANCE GROUP (SPAG) UK Royal Navy SPAG. Exercise Sorbet Royal 02 kattegat, Frederikshavn, Denmark, 21st-31 May 02. A Hercules aeroplane visited Exercise Sorbet Royal. Its cargo was ten special trained parachutists from the UK. They jumped from 1200 feet in the target area, 12 NM off the coast of Frederikshavn. At first they dropped all the necessary equipment on specially designed floating pallets, including a rescue raft with room for 25 people which operates as operations HQ and triage. The parachutists themselves jumped in teams of two and three. once arrived in the sea they swam to their equipment and got it into position for phase two. In the meantime people were busy on board ORP LECH; Doctors and divers were preparing for their tasks. exercise survivors left the Lech as if to be escappees from a submarine. Fifth NATO sponsored Live submarine Search and Rescue exercise and third NATO Submarine Escape and Rescue live exercise open for Partner Participation. Aims: To Demonstrate the ability of the NATO alliance to cooperate in saving lives from distressed submarines of any participating nation, demonstate submarine rescue capability with multiple submarine rescue vehicles and assests. Display the capability and interoperability between NATO submarines, Submarine rescue vehicles and assests from participating nations. To Foster submarine rescue techniques and provide experience and training for all involved. TO Exercise: ventilation of disressed submarines,The medical orginisations procedures equipment and thier comms relating to Submarine rescue,The search element, Familiarise with differing nations equipment and operations, develop new techniques, test a suitable air-road-seaport combination for URF/SRC and LR5( submarine rescue vehicles) deployments.

Submarine Parachute Day from a Hercules C130 into the sea at Lee-on-Solent on 8th May 2006. LA(PHOT)Owen King FRPU(E) 8 May 2006

The Submarine Parachute Assistance Group were formed in 1960s and for many years were based at the Submarine Escape Training Tank (SETT) in Gosport.

Last year they relocated to HM Naval Base Clyde’s new state-of-the-art Submarine Escape, Rescue, Abandonment and Survivability (SMERAS) facility where submariners of the future will conduct their escape training.

Also based at Clyde is the NATO Submarine Rescue System (NSRS), capable of docking with a stricken submarine to ferry the personnel off and back to the surface.

Together the three elements – SMERAS, SPAG and NSRS – represent a world-class rescue capability, ensuring that our submariners receive the best possible training and support.