Pacific 2012: Kiwis under water | ADM Dec 2011/ Jan 2012
Nick Lee-Frampton | Wellington
In several respects the Royal New Zealand Navy’s (RNZN’s) Operational Diving Team (ODT) is an accurate microcosm of both the Navy and the entire New Zealand Defence Force. Lieutenant Commander Trevor Leslie, the unit’s Commanding Officer, has served in the RNZN since 1986 and described the ODT to ADM as a stand-alone force element amongst the Littoral Warfare Support Group (LSG).
There are more than 30 divers in the RNZN, including four men on HMNZS Manawanui, four at the Diving Training School, two Petty Officer Divers on the Anzac frigates and 24 in the ODT itself led by LTCDR Leslie.
The ODT was officially established 1977, said LTCDR Leslie, “but prior to that there have always been people here conducting military diving for the Navy. Right back in the ’50s there were guys from the RN who came over to NZ.
“You have to do a four-week basic course first, which teaches you air diving to 18 metres. Then you go back in to the fleet and consolidate that basic training. Then come back and do a 20-week course that gives you your basic, clearance level, diving ability.”
Women are allowed to join, he said, adding, “But up to now we have not had a woman even attempt to [join us].”
ADM asked if everyone who attempted the training duly qualified as a diver.
“Most people don’t pass,” LTCDR Leslie admitted. “We do have quite a high attrition rate.
“That’s primarily because being underwater is an alien environment for humans. A lot of people who [do not qualify] haven’t done any diving or don’t fully comprehend the nature of the environment. They find it claustrophobic, they don’t like being wet and cold, that’s the primary reason for failure.”
It appears members of the ODT have little time to be idle.
“We are a very, very busy organisation within the NZDF and the thing with diving is that anything that can happen on the surface happens under the water too. Mine counter measures, explosive ordnance disposal, camera work, engineering work —welding, cutting, using underwater chain saws, pneumatics, hydraulics. So we flick from one focus to another very quickly, sometimes within one day. It is mentally demanding for the guys.
“A lot of the diving we do for the external agencies, such as Police and Customs,” explained LTCDR Leslie. “They are a quick response type of thing, when there is a requirement to get evidence or retrieve a body. Sometimes you spend a lot of time and effort supporting those agencies, then we go for months without [being called upon].”
All military units have kit, but the ODT’s equipment falls in to a rare category, ADM found.
“We are one of the few organisations that are both maintainers and operators. We maintain our own kit and it is a very broad scope of employment. All the kit we have is very task specific.”
Among the latest equipment used by the ODT is what LTCDR Leslie calls the Diver Underwater Search System (DUSS).
“It is an underwater computer, underwater navigator and a sonar for the diver. It is an underwater situational awareness tool.”
Manufactured by Ontario-based company Shark Marine, who call it the Navigator, the DUSS includes an imaging sonar with a range of several hundred metres, a display screen, a digital camera and GPS tracking.
“It’s world class and I know several allied countries are looking at getting it. It's a real niche capability and the RNZN has exploited that well.”
The Navigator’s capabilities are enhanced by another piece of kit (operated by the Mine Countermeasures Team who work alongside the ODT), Kongsberg Marine’s Remus (Remote Environmental Measuring UnitS) 100 series autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV).
Initially the RNZN purchased two Remus 100 systems in 2006, a third in 2007 and a fourth in 2010. They are designed for use in coastal waters to a depth of 100 metres.
“They are deployed as required by an 11-person team. At the moment there are only seven in that team due to manning issues. Remus can give us targets which feed directly in to the DUSS system and then the diver can navigate himself to the target underwater, he can search with the sonar, take pictures etc.
“We have recently upgraded two of our four Remus units, so they have inertial navigation and a camera and a third is being upgraded at the moment. AUV technology is always evolving and we try to keep in touch with that technology.”
Sophisticated it may be, but Remus is still only a tool, said LTCDR Leslie.
“Remus is a good capability tool, it means we can search a large area in a quicker time versus a diver. But if there is a fishing net it will get tangled, if there is a rock it will run into it, whereas a diver obviously can give us really specific information about a mine, he can get rid of the mine, do a lot more than Remus can do.”
Although munitions from past conflicts still are found, the vast majority of some 70 explosive ordnance disposal tasks LTCDR Leslie has dealt with have been land based.
“Most are improvised explosive tasks, such as pipe bombs made by kids or gang members, only a few have been underwater.”
Explosive devices may be domestic, but the ODT regularly exercises with allies overseas.
“We work very closely with the Australians, the Canadians and the British. We do a lot of exercising with the Singaporeans and the Malaysians. So we get on very well with out allies and integrate with them seamlessly.”