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.

And so ends the Fourth NATO Coordinator Rescue Forces in Taranto, at the Submarine Flotilla Command.
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. 
This important two weeks in the SMER global calendar has again given a multinational, multi disciplined group of students the chance to gain knowledge of global SMER, taught by an international group of specialists, and experience practical live training scenarios to further their skills.
The course continues to grow and important work has been done by the students in establishing new ideas in how the CRF does their work during a DISSUB event, including live interactions with a major rescue asset, NSRS.
Looking to the future the course will continue to grow and improve - preliminary work has already been completed during this course in conjunction with the Italian Navy and we hope to link submarine controllers onto the course next year to achieve mutual training objectives.

KNOW PEOPLE BEFORE YOU NEED PEOPLE

Representatives from 15 nations were gathered in Garmisch-Partenkirchen to share experience and knowledge in SMER related topics. A great opportunity to keep in touch and expand the SMER network. Many thanks to USA for hosting in such a scenic environment.

After 2 weeks of training in Taranto, the 2022 Coordinator Rescue Forces course is complete.
We have shared knowledge and learned from one another with a student body representing 10 different submarine operating nations.
The course has been superbly supported and hosted by the Italian submarine school including demonstrations of submarine escape. We have also been delighted to have guest lecturers representing individual rescue and intervention assets,industry, DISSUB medical and psychology, media operations, ISMERLO website operation, and a visit to the Italian coastguard Rescue Coordination Centre in Bari.

Commander, Submarines NATO, Rear Admiral Steve Mack visited the course and highlighted the importance of knowing each other before we need each other.

Happy to host the ISMERLO US reserve detachment in Northwood this week (9-13 May). Once again a team😊👊

AKSAZ, Turkey - Dynamic Monarch/Kurtaran 2021, the 11th in a series of NATO sponsored live Submarine Escape and Rescue (SMER) exercises was held 12 to 24 September in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Aksaz, Turkey.

The International Submarine Escape and Rescue Liaison Office (ISMERLO) ran exercise is tied to the annual Turkish Navy exercise Kurtaran and hosted by the Turkish Navy.

Assets and personnel from Italy, Turkey together with personnel from Canada, Greece and Spain, Norway, United Kingdom and the United States also took part in the submarine escape and rescue training scenarios. Qatar, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Indonesia were present as the observers.

A submarine laid over the seabed representing a sunken submarine and training followed locating the lost submarine by search and rescue ships, aircraft and equipment. After establishing a rescue village at sea over the submarine, casualties were transferred to TCG Alemdar, the Search and Rescue Ship where they received first medical aid including re-compression operations and evacuation of the casualties to the hospital ashore from onboard.

Assets and personnel participating in the exercise, repeated the training each time with different assets including Italian Navy submarine ITS Todaro, Turkish Navy Submarines TCG Canakkale and TCG Anafartalar in order to improve interoperability between Allied units.

The International Submarine Escape and Rescue Liaison Office (ISMERLO) is an organization that aims to facilitate an international response for a distressed submarine and to improve the ability to respond to a call for assistance through its coordination role.

Although established by NATO, ISMERLO supports all nations and pursues the involvement of global submarine-operating nations and focused on the humanitarian aspect which is saving lives at sea.

ISMERLO also provided support and expertise during the search and rescue efforts after real-life accidents with Argentine Navy Submarine San Juan in 2017 and Indonesian Navy Submarine KRI Nanggala in April 2021.

The NATO led SMER exercise Dynamic Monarch is planned to be held in conjunction with the Turkish exercise Kurtaran in the eastern med in the period Sep-Oct 2021. Dates expected to be promulgated NLT 15 Dec 2020.