Russian sailors trapped on ocean floor; U.S. Air Force to the rescue

On or about Aug. 4, a Russian AS-28 miniature submarine carrying seven sailors became trapped 625 feet below the ocean surface.  The accident occur during a military training exercise somewhere off Russia's East coast, near the Kamchatka peninsula in Siberia.

A C-5 Galaxy assigned to Travis Air Force Base, Calif., is loaded with people and equipment from the Deep Submergence Unit, Naval Base Coronado. The C-5 is bringing two Super Scorpio robotic rescue vehicles to Russia to assist in the rescue of seven Russian sailors trapped in a minisubmarine off the Kamchatka peninsula.

After losing 118 sailors during the Kursk sub accident in 2000, the Russians didn't hesitate asking for international assistance.

The U.S. military quickly answered the call, with the U.S. Navy sending two remotely controlled, unmanned submersibles to the aid of the trapped sailors.

But without the U.S. Air Force's giant transport planes, the rescue submersibels, called Super Scorpios, would not get there in time.

Air Mobility Command, the Air Force's global mobility arm, scrambled three airlift missions and multiple air refueling aircraft in response to the rescue effort.

According to AMC officials, a C-5 Galaxy returning to Travis Air Force Base, Calif., was diverted to Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., to pick up a team of Sailors and two unmanned rescue vehicles. Once the Sailors and equipment were loaded, the C-5 continued to Russia.

Russian news agencies reported the C-5 landed at about 3:15 a.m.  The U.S. Navy rescue equipment was to be loaded onto waiting Russian ships and taken to the spot where the stranded submarine now lies.

“Lives are on the line, and we’re ready to aid however we can,” said Col. Michael Cassidy, 60th Operations Group commander at Travis. “Our mission right now is to get the equipment and personnel over there as fast as possible so our Sailors can get their Russian counterparts out of there alive.”

A second airlifter, a C-17 Globemaster III assigned to the Mississippi Air National Guard, is slated to pick up more rescue equipment from Morgan City, La., and begin its nonstop flight to Russia.

A third airlifter, a C-17 assigned to Charleston AFB, S.C., was scheduled to pick up a Deep Drone 8000 at Andrews AFB, Md. After a quick crew change at McChord AFB, Wash., the Charleston C-17 proceeded to Russia.

Air Force aerial refueling aircraft were used during each airlift mission to extend the range of the airlift aircraft and expedite the delivery of the rescue equipment.  You know what they say: "You can't kick ass without tanker gas!"

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