US Navy sonar & divers

[tc]

Not to mention getting run over by the sub if you're that close..... :11:

 

[AzAtty]

The "aversion behavior" in humans is a whole other issue. The Navy did note several different behaviors in human divers and in marine mammals exposed to LFA, but I think the public relations spin is that no "physiolgical damage" occurs. Gene's link to the study details what happened in testing.

 

[Scubakevdm]

The "aversion behavior" in humans is a whole other issue. The Navy did note several different behaviors in human divers and in marine mammals exposed to LFA, but I think the public relations spin is that no "physiolgical damage" occurs. Gene's link to the study details what happened in testing.

I agree that Gene's link to the study details what happened during testing.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

The new sonar that the US Navy developed, but isn't allowed to use because it supposedly is killing whales and other life, . Anyone know if it poses any danger to us while we are in the water

But apparently the Navy is allowed to use it ... President Bush just exempted them from the environmental laws that would've disallowed it.

I imagine it does to whales and dolphins what those teenager car stereos do to me when they drive past my house ... only orders of magnitude worse ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Scubakevdm]

But apparently the Navy is allowed to use it ... President Bush just exempted them from the environmental laws that would've disallowed it.

I imagine it does to whales and dolphins what those teenager car stereos do to me when they drive past my house ... only orders of magnitude worse ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I'm not sure that there can be very much disscusion regarding the specifics of the system, due to it's classification, but when I qualifed submarines I had to have a rudementary understanding of it. I would definitely not want to be the subject of a this type of a queery, but I do not believe that divers are likely to be very affected by collateral exposure to it.

 

[Lucy's Diver]

The US Navy Dive Manual controls diver exposure with any sonar running a frequency below, I think, 250 kHz. Plenty of military and civilian applications run low freq active sonar, and have been for decades.
Higher freq sonar, used in commercial diving and search/recovery operations, are diver safe and even designed for use with a diver.

See http://www.supsalv.org/manuals/diveman5/13512-001H/css/vol1/Apdx1A.pdf

 

[igotag!]

Well due to classification talking about all of this hoopla is tricky. However I can tell you that whenever divers are swiming around the boats, subs are NOT able to test any active sonar. To go active in port you have to coordinate with the cognizant facility running the port. So if there is a diver a few piers down, they still won't allow it. Other than that the only other way a diver would get 'pinged' would be diving out in the middle of nowhere.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

Submarines very very infrequently use active sonar. Think of it like hollering to determine if someone on a battle field is the enemy. Umm they might shoot at you before you figure it out.

Surface ships/Sub hunters might use it. The Submarines already know where they are anyway.

 

[Rickg]

But apparently the Navy is allowed to use it ... President Bush just exempted them from the environmental laws that would've disallowed it.

I imagine it does to whales and dolphins what those teenager car stereos do to me when they drive past my house ... only orders of magnitude worse ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

The Navy has been authorized to use LFA in the Western Pacific and not off our West Coast.

What Bush just exempted for use during exercises is mid-frequency active systems on frigates, destroyers, etc and the exemption was granted after a Federal judge restricted the use of these in ASW exercises planned to be conducted off our West Coast.

Judge put limits on Navy sonar use

Bush Exempts Navy From Court Order Limiting Harm To Whales In Sonar Exercises | January 17, 2008 | AHN

Judge imposes sonar rules on Navy for sea mammals | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

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Rickg

 

[Gary D.]

To go active in port you have to coordinate with the cognizant facility running the port. So if there is a diver a few piers down, they still won't allow it. Other than that the only other way a diver would get 'pinged' would be diving out in the middle of nowhere.

Your first third of this is correct but the last third is not quite so.

I’ve been pinged “in a secured harbor” several times. Just because the harbor and ships are secured doesn’t mean someone won’t fire up a unit.

On the ship we were working on and any that were close by we put OUR lock on the sonar room and kept the key. All the quarter decks were called and advised that they were to remain secured and the Harbor Master notified to secure the rest of the harbor. A red with white X Navy Dive Flag was flown over the harbor to advise everyone that diving operations were being conducted. Until they were released no body should have even been in the Sonar Control room.

Even with all the precautions we took someone seemed to not listen or pay attention to proper procedures and light it off.

When you hear it in a confined area it’s a 2 second trip to the surface and you’re ready to kill someone. That may be the main reason they didn’t give the divers firearms.

Accidents do happen and way more than I would have liked. So just because you have taken all the safety steps it doesn’t mean you’re going to be safe from a ping.

Gary D.