Maritime Life Support

The Life Support team provides ongoing support to the submarine service in analysis and control of submarine atmospheres. This includes maintenance and support of onboard equipment and response to in-service issues.

We provide the following range of Submarine Life Support expertise and facilities:

• Analysing, improving and advising on Submarine Atmosphere Control
• Modelling, experimentation and advising on the physiology and engineering of submarine escape, rescue and surface abandonment (SMERAS)
• Applying hyperbaric oxygen therapy
• Assessing, testing and advising on Diving physiology and equipment

These curves showing risk of decompression sickness during escape will be used to provide Command guidance on whether to escape or wait for rescue.

The Royal Navy have used our advice on SMERAS physiology and engineering to enhance the Royal Navy Escape “Guardbook”, which contains escape procedures and advice. UK MOD exploit our test, evaluation, modelling and advice to provide assurance for escape system engineering and safety cases. Service Medical Officers use our training to understand how to apply hyperbaric oxygen therapy, by treating both civilian and service patients in the Hyperbaric Medicine Unit at Gosport. The operational RN submarine Fleet enhance diver safety and performance with our forensic investigation of diving incidents and ongoing research into diving and decompression physiology.

The overall technical lead for Maritime Life Support is Mr Graham White, a physiologist, who has over 20 years of experience in Maritime Life Support, principally in SMERAS but also in protection of man from adverse environments. He is ably supported by four specialists, who all have international reputations.

Recent clients for our Maritime Life Support and hyperbaric oxygen therapy capabilities include the Royal Navy, MoD, BAE Systems Astute, the HSE and the NHS (treating recreational diving accidents).