China Navy completes performance test of new individual Submarine Escape Immersion Equipment

According to information published by the Chinese MoD (Department of Defense) on January 4, 2021, a new individual Submarine Escape Immersion Equipment (SEIE) has completed the combat performance test in the waters of a sea area of the East China Sea recently, indicating that the PLA Navy submariners' self-rescue and escape capabilities have reached the advanced international level.
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China has developed new individual Submarine Escape Immersion Equipment. (Picture source China MoD)

This new individual equipment is developed by the Special Medical Center of the PLA Naval Medical University. It comprises four components, including a fast floating escape suit, hood inflation system, escape suit detection device, and hood inflation detection device. Owing to the lightweight, wear-resistant, waterproof, and anti-aging new materials, and the design of the inner thermal liner and the individual life raft, the new SEIE is more convenient to use and provides better protection for the submariner on keeping warm and reaching for surface rescue.

Fast ascent and escape is a development direction widely recognized by the world for self-rescue and escape of submariners. The new SEIE takes into account two submarine escape modes, including rapid ascent escape and depressurized escape, which can be applied in various types of submarines of the PLA Navy.

In the event of a submarine emergency, with the support of the one-person escape cabin onboard, the new SEIE allows survivors to quickly ascend and escape at depths down to 200 meters. It can also achieve a depressurized escape at depths down to 120 meters in combination with the existing depressurized escape breathing device.