From Naval Sea Systems Command Office of Corporate Communications
Naval Sea System Command's (NAVSEA) Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV) conducted the recovery of the engines and other components of an EA-6B "Prowler" Aug. 17-20. The plane crashed near Feb. 12.
The recovery utilized the Navy's remotely operated vehicle (ROV) "Deep Drone" operating from the Military Sealift Command's USNS Salvor (T-ARS 52).
The EA-6B crashed into the in 6,500 feet of water while conducting night landing qualifications. The recovery operation was performed in order to assist the crash investigation in determining the cause of the accident and the possible implication it may have on the rest of the EA-6B inventory.
Deep Drone is the Navy's workhorse ROV designed to meet the Navy's mid-water salvage requirements down to a maximum depth of 8,000 feet of seawater. The deep ocean search and recovery systems are managed by SUPSALV and maintained and operated by underwater engineering company Phoenix International.
"This operation was executed quickly and smoothly. The ROV operators, ship's crew and Navy divers from Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit One embarked on SALVOR, all worked extremely well together," said Vince Jarecki, SUPSALV salvage engineer and project manager for this recovery.
SUPSALV is responsible for all aspects of ocean engineering, including salvage, oil pollution response, in-water ship repair, contracting, towing, diving safety and equipment maintenance and procurement.