The LR7 is a

deep-submergence rescue vehicle A deep-submergence rescue vehicle (DSRV) is a type of deep-submergence vehicle used for rescue of personnel from disabled submarines and submersibles. While DSRV is the term most often used by the United States Navy, other nations have different ...

(DSRV) of the

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

People's Liberation Army Navy The People's Liberation Army Navy, also known as the People's Navy, PLA Navy or simply Chinese Navy, is the naval warfare military branch, branch of the People's Liberation Army, the national military of the People's Republic of China. It i ...

(PLAN). It was built by FET (Forum Energy Technologies) formerly Perry Slingsby of

Britain Britain most often refers to: * Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales * The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...

. The LR7 entered service in 2009.

Development

In 2000 and 2001, Chinese representatives attended international submarine rescue conferences and exercises. This may have followed the 1995 accident suffered by Chinese submarine ''361'' while surfaced leading to the deaths of the entire crew. China entered negotiations to purchase DSRVs from Britain or

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

which may have resulted in the order for the LR7 through

Rolls-Royce Marine Rolls-Royce Submarines, a subsidiary of Rolls-Royce, operates three sites licensed to handle nuclear material, two of which are at Raynesway in Derby, and the other at Vulcan Nuclear Reactor Testing Establishment (NRTE), Dounreay, UK. The Man ...

. The LR7 was tested in

Loch Linnhe Loch Linnhe ( ) is a sea loch in the Highland Council area, in the west of Scotland. The part upstream of Corran is known in Gaelic as (the black pool, originally known as Loch Abar), and downstream as (the salty pool). The name ''Linnhe ...

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

, in September 2008. It was delivered and entered service in 2009. The Type 926 submarine support ship was developed to deploy the LR7. The first was laid down in 2007 and entered service in 2010.

Design

The LR7 may operate at depths of 500 meters and may dock with submarines with their bows 60 degrees up. Originally Manufactured by Perry Slingsby Systems and is now Forum Energy Technologies (FET).

References

Sources

* * {{authority control Deep-submergence rescue vehicles Submarines of the People's Liberation Army Navy Lifeboats