Military diving

Template:Short description Template:See also Template:War Underwater divers may be employed in any branch of an armed force, including the navy, army, marines, air force and coast guard. Scope of operations includes: search and recovery, search and rescue, hydrographic survey, explosive ordnance disposal, demolition, underwater engineering, salvage, ships husbandry, reconnaissance, infiltration, sabotage, counterifiltration, underwater combat and security.<ref name="Alert diver" />

History of military diving

Military divers are essential to many missions and campaigns. Combat and demolition work, underwater and coastal reconnaissance, ordnance disposal, search and rescue, salvage operations, construction, ship maintenance and underwater engineering. Every branch of the U.S. military employs divers, and more than 40 nations have military diving units. Military diving is an occupation that has risks and responsibilities beyond those of other professional diving. Research and development in military diving equipment and procedures often eventually contributes to recreational and technical diving practice.<ref name="Alert diver" />

Military diving development was influenced by the development of submarine technology in the early 20th century. There were several serious accidents following the widespread deployment of submarines, and the main application for military diving at that time was salvage and later rescue and recovery operations. Submarine escape equipment development helped with early scuba development.<ref name="Alert diver" />

Combat diving.<ref name="Alert diver" />

Fleet and engineering diving.<ref name="Alert diver" />

Application of diving by branches of the military

• Navy divers are used in ships husbandry, marine construction and salvage, demolition and mine clearance and special forces.
• Army divers may be used in engineering activities such as bridge construction and demolition, and by special forces units.
• Marine divers may be used for reconnaissance, preparation for amphibious operations, coastal demolition, disposal of explosives and special operations
• Air forces frequently use divers for search and rescue missions.
• In some countries the coastguard is considered to be a military force, and there are several applications for coastguard diving operations both operationally and for ships husbandry purposes.

Scope of operations

Clearance diving

Template:See also Clearance divers are specialists in underwater demolition, explosive ordnance disposal and improvised explosive device disposal. They are tasked with locating and destroying or recovering underwater ordnance at sea in ships, in the approaches to ports and anchorages, in port facilities and installations and in the coastal environment of amphibious operations.<ref name="ADAS CD" />

Ships husbandry

Template:See also Ships husbandry or ship husbandry is all aspects of maintenance, cleaning,<ref name="Nelson" /> and general upkeep of the hull, rigging, and equipment of a ship. It may also be used to refer to aspects of maintenance which are not specifically covered by the technical departments.<ref name="RAN" /> The term is used in both naval and merchant shipping,<ref name="Jensen 2004" /> but naval vessel husbandry may also be used for specific reference to naval vessels.<ref name="Stratlog" /> Underwater ships husbandry includes hull cleaning, inspection, and some kinds of repair work.<ref name="UNDS 1999" />

Search and recovery

Template:Main Underwater search and recovery is the process of locating and recovering underwater objects, often by divers.<ref name=padi /> but also by the use of submersibles, remotely operated vehicles and electronic equipment on surface vessels.<ref name=usn /><ref name="NOAA 4th Ed" />

Recovery techniques depend upon the type and size of the object. Smaller objects, can simply be carried up by the diver. Heavier objects represent a material change to the diver's buoyancy control, and may put the diver at risk from an uncontrolled ascent if contact with the object is lost during ascent. Medium-sized objects are normally recovered using a lifting bag. Lift bags can be rated up to several tons, but these require an independent supply of inflation gas. Large objects usually require specialised commercial lifting equipment.

See also

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References

<references> <ref name="ADAS CD" >Template:Cite web</ref>

<ref name="Alert diver" >Template:Cite journal</ref>

<ref name="Jensen 2004">Template:Cite web</ref>

<ref name="Nelson">Template:Cite web</ref>

<ref name="NOAA 4th Ed">NOAA Diving Manual, 4th Edition CD-ROM prepared and distributed by the National Technical Information Service (NTIS)in partnership with NOAA and Best Publishing Company</ref>

<ref name=padi>Template:Cite book</ref>

<ref name="RAN">Template:Cite book</ref>

<ref name="Stratlog">Template:Cite web</ref>

<ref name="UNDS 1999">Template:Cite web</ref>

<ref name=usn>Template:Cite book</ref> </references>