SUBSAFE

SUBSAFE is a quality assurance program of the United States Navy designed to maintain the safety of the nuclear submarine fleet. All systems exposed to sea pressure or critical to flooding recovery are subject to SUBSAFE, and all work done and all materials usedon those systems are tightly controlled to ensure the material used in their assembly as well as the methods of assembly, maintenance, and testing are correct. Every component and every action are intensively managed and controlled. They require certification with traceable objective quality evidence. These measures add significant costFact|date=September 2007, but no submarine certified by SUBSAFE has ever been lost. [http://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Documents/Congress/House/OCTOBE~1/Sullivan%20opening%20statement.pdf]

Inspiration

On 10 April 1963, while engaged in a deep test dive approximately 200 miles off the northeast coast of the United States, USS "Thresher" (SSN-593) was lost with all hands. The loss of the lead ship of a new, fast, quiet, deep-diving class of submarines was the impetus for the Navy to re-evaluate the methods used to build her submarines. A "Thresher" Design Appraisal Board" determined that, although the basic design of the "Thresher" class was sound, measures should be taken to improve the level of confidence in the material condition of the hull integrity boundary and in the ability of submarines to control and recover from flooding casualties.

Effectiveness

From 1915 to 1963, the United States Navy lost 16 submarines to non-combat related causes. From the beginning of the SUBSAFE program in 1963 until the present day, only one submarine, USS "Scorpion" (SSN-589), has been lost, but "Scorpion" was not SUBSAFE certified. No SUBSAFE-certified submarine has ever been lost. [http://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Documents/Congress/House/OCTOBE~1/Sullivan%20opening%20statement.pdf]

Purpose

The purpose of SUBSAFE is to provide maximum reasonable assurance of watertight integrity and recovery capability. It is important to recognize that the SUBSAFE Program does not spread or dilute its focus beyond this purpose. Mission assurance is not a concern of the SUBSAFE Program, it is simply a side benefit of the program. Other safety programs and organizations regulate such things as fire safety, weapons systems safety, and nuclear reactor systems safety. [http://gop.science.house.gov/hearings/full03/oct29/sullivan.pdf]

UBSAFE Certification Process

SUBSAFE certification is carried out in four areas; Design, Material, Fabrication, & Testing. The exact procedures are documented in the initial design & construction for new submarines, while undergoing routine maintenance in naval depots, and in the fleet maintenance manual for operating submarines. During each step objective quality evidence is collected, reviewed, approved, and retained for the life of the submarine. Without these steps being completed the submarine cannot maintain its SUBSAFE certification. This process is reinforced with external and internal audits.

NASA

After the loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia the Columbia Accident Investigation Board board described SUBSAFE as a set of "successful safety programs and practices that could be models for NASA" [http://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Documents/Congress/House/OCTOBE~1/hearing_charter.html] Following this recommendation, a number of exchanges and conferences have been held between SUBSAFE naval personnel & NASA.

External links

* [http://gop.science.house.gov/hearings/full03/oct29/sullivan.pdf Testimony from Rear Admiral Paul E. Sullivan] before the House Science Committee on the SUBSAFE Program, 29 October 2003.