>> reporter: yes. that's right. and that's why this new phase-in the search operation has really got under way now. the sub surface operation with the deployment of the submarine, with the australian vessel that has that sophisticated search technology attached to it as well and a british ship with similar capabilities, all working in conjunction with each other in a race against time, essentially, to try and find the pinger which is on the black box flight recorder of that lost airliner. and of course the battery power on that pinger is expected to run out, could run out within the next couple of days, and so there's a sort of time sensitivity to it also. they also just got all these assets in the area. so that's why this phase, this sub surface phase of the search operation has only now just got underway, but according to angus houston who is the retired air chief marshal who's now heading