Apeks chosen for Canadian military

The Canadian Navy has commenced a programme to replace all its first stage regulators with the Apeks DST (XTX50) during 2010.

The DST was selected in late 2009 as the sole first stage regulator for open-circuit scuba (compressed air) and surface-supplied diving operations (air and heliox) conducted by all Canadian military divers.

This selection was made at the end of an extensive nine-month programme of unmanned/manned testing and evaluation. This programme included field trials during the severe cold water and weather conditions of the Canadian winter.

The three candidate regulators short-listed for final evaluation were all Apeks regulators (DST, DS4 and FST models), and all of them met the stringent performance criteria required by the Canadian military.

Previously, in 2007, the Apeks DS4 first stage regulator was selected by the UK Ministry of Defence as the sole first stage regulator for use in their air diving operations. The DS4 is now fitted in all self-contained and surface-supplied air breathing apparatus used by UK military divers.

This in turn builds on the 2004 listing by the US Navy of the DST, with TX50 second stage regulator, as ‘Authorized for Navy Use (ANU)’ in cold water temperatures.

The selection of the DST and DS4 provides further proof of the pedigree, robustness, performance and overall suitability of the Apeks regulator family for military and professional diving operations in all environmental conditions.