PACIFIC REACH 2000

WAX2000092901 - 28 SEPTEMBER 2000 - Sailors attached to the Navy's Deep Submergence Unit, Diving Systems Detachment slide the Submarine Rescue Chamber (SRC) from an Air Force Reserve C-5A "Galaxy" for transportation to be readied for sea and participation in "Exercise Pacific Reach 2000." The Republic of Singapore Navy, the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force, the Republic of Korea Navy and the U.S. Navy will participate in this first-ever cooperative regional submarine rescue exercise in the Pacific Ocean for 2 weeks in early October. "Pacific Reach" will be conducted in the South China Sea approximately 200 nautical miles northeast of Singapore. The exercise involves ships, submarines, and submarine rescue assets from four nations, with other nations sending observers. The purpose of "Pacific Reach" is to allow four Pacific Rim countries to cooperatively demonstrate their abilities and to provide enhanced professional training and experience for all involved. This training will also familiarize the participants with a range of equipment and hardware available in the inventories of the exercising nations. The SRC represents only one of many methods available for submarine crew recovery and complements other naval platforms as well as submarine rescue capabilities to be demonstrated during the exercise. jr/USN/Terry Cosgrove