The 2024 Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Coordinator of Rescue Forces (CRF) course was held on Garden Island in Western Australia and will conclude 02 August. Students represented Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam, along with RAN students. The CRF course was opened by CDRE Tom Phillips, Commodore of the RAN Submarine Force, and CAPT Richard Lindsey, CSC, Director of the Submarine School. The course highlighted the growing submarine focus in the Australasian region and the growing Escape and Rescue Capabilities of many nations in the area. Fellow submariners all united that safety of human life in a crisis should transcend national borders. Timing of the 2025 course is yet to be determined, but will is open to any nation.

The 5th NATO Coordinator Rescue Forces in Taranto will conclude on the 12th July 2024, at the Submarine Flotilla Command.

With students from Chile, Columbia, Poland, the UK and the Netherlands and specialisations in diving, submarines and training the course offered a rich platform for discussion and development.
We were honoured by the start of the course being officially given by the Commander of Submarines of NATO (COMSUBNATO), Rear Admiral Thomas Wall, and by the Commander of Submarines of the Navy (MARICOSOM), Rear Admiral Vito Lacerenza. 
The course continues to grow with feedback from the students being an important aspect of the development process. We are also pleased to announce the second of the Submarine Controller SMER event management course that is now available to international students.

SUBMED 23 has ended after being fantastically hosted and run by the RCN.

Two weeks consisting of lectures and embarkation onboard the HMCS HARRY DEWOLF

It is the generosity of people taking time out of their very busy schedules that is most remarkable. Invaluable practical training was achieved and a brilliant road test of new features on ismerlo.org for DISSUB medical teams.

The 2023 meeting of the Submarine Escape and Rescue Working Group (SMERWG) took place at the Marina Militare Istitutio Di Studia Militari Maritimi, in Venice, Italy, 27 through 30 June 2023. A total of 130 delegates from 20 nations attended. A number of SMER related topics were covered in depth and it was a great opportunity to share and enhance knowledge across the global SMER network as well as maintaining and extending friendships. We are truly grateful to the Italian Navy who did an outstanding job in hosting the event in the historic and marvelous city of Venice.