July 7, 2015 –
WEST BETHESDA, Md. - Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)
Divers and support personnel from Technical Support Detachment's (TSD) Combined
Explosive Exploitation Cell (CEXC) supported the 13th International
Human-Powered Submarine Races June 22-26, at Naval Surface Warfare Center
(NSWC) Carderock Division in West Bethesda, Md.
The bi-annual sub races - sponsored by the Foundation for
Underwater Research and Education - is an international engineering design
competition that inspires high school and college-age students of the various
engineering disciplines to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering
and mathematics.
Team design and build a one- or two-person
"wet" submarine, relying upon the principles of hydrodynamic design,
buoyancy, propulsion, guidance systems, underwater life support and systems
engineering. Teams race their submarines using Self-Contained Underwater
Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA) equipment in Carderock's 3,200 foot-long model
basin.
Because the event is underwater and held on Navy
facilities, Navy-qualified divers are required throughout the event to ensure
underwater safety of the participants.
For the past few years, CEXC's EOD divers have supported the local
event.
"Our divers were there to provide general diving
support during the event," said Lt. Mark Hyatt, TSD operations officer.
"We inspected the participants' air tanks to ensure they were DOT
[Department of Transportation] compliant.
We filled diver's air tanks. We
monitored underwater activity, and we were stationed at the end of the race to
slow down the submarines as they crossed the finish line."
Since 1989, the sub race competition has grown to include
entries from universities, colleges, corporations, research centers, high
schools and privately sponsored teams from all over the world; and some
previous participants have continued on to careers as Navy engineers.
"Any time the racers had an issue in the water, our
divers were right there to assist," continued Hyatt. "It was amazing
to see what these young men and women were able to accomplish. We glad the TSD was able to support this
event."
At the end of the week-long competition, the winning
teams were recognized for best overall performance, innovation, speed, best use
of composite materials, and spirit of the race.
Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Explosive
Ordnance Disposal Technology Division's (NSWC IHEODTD) Technical Support
Detachment is located in Indian Head, Md., and is a deployable military unit
comprised of senior- and master-level EOD technicians who provide weapons
analysis, technical intelligence and foreign material acquisition support to
operational commanders, EOD forces and national intelligence activities.
To see more images and video clips from this year's ISR,
visit NSWC Carderock's event photo album at
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nswccarderock/albums.