it is quite easy to place them in either the 

 operating or nOn-operating category. Those 

 vehicles not clearly in either category are 

 classed as inactive. Specifically, the following 

 definitions are used in this work: 

 Operational: Submersibles which have been 

 reported diving in 1974, includ- 

 ing vehicles which are undergo- 

 ing test and evaluation and 

 those which are undergoing 

 modifications preparatory to 

 diving. 

 Inactive: Submersibles which, within a 2- 



or 3-month period or less, can 

 be made operational. ALUMI- 

 NAUT, GUPPY, OPSUB, 

 TECHDIVER are examples of 

 this category. 

 Non-Opera- Submersibles that are incapa- 

 tional: ble of Operating without major 



refitting. 



Terminology and Units 



A number of the terms herein will probably 

 send the traditional submariner into a deep 

 depression. With over a half century of tradi- 

 tion behind him, the military submariner has 

 a ready-made field of jargon which quite ap- 

 propriately applies to the military submarine. 

 But, there is no traditional submersible and 

 the jargon which has grown around this field 

 comes from the aeronautical engineer, the 

 scuba diver, the machinist, the scientist, the 

 hobbyist and from the traditionalist himself. 

 This variety is not surprising: With virtually 

 all submersibles having been built and now 

 being operated by the non-traditionalist, there 

 is no uniformity in the terms used. This has 

 not been a handicap to anyone in the field and 

 is not likely to become one in the future. 

 Indeed, as far as tradition is concerned, the 

 operation of a manned submersible literally 

 violates every tradition of the submarine serv- 

 ice. Where bottoming or grounding a fleet 

 submarine is to be avoided in all but dire 

 emergencies, it is expected of submersibles. 

 Where every attempt is made to keep a sub- 

 marine's lines hydrodynamically clean, there 

 is absolutely no desire or need to do so in 

 submersibles where speed is of little impor- 

 tance. A "long dive" in submersibles is 12 or so 

 hours, to the nuclear submariner this would 

 hardly classify as a dive. Then again, launch- 



ing and retrieving a fleet submarine between 

 dives is not only unthinkable, it is virtually 

 impossible. So while the traditionalist might 

 blanch, most of the jargon he will find dis- 

 tasteful is that which is in more or less com- 

 mon usage. A few examples might be in order. 



In some cases the term "brow" appears, this 

 is not a typographical error, some vehicles 

 (DEEPSTAR 4000} have a brow which over- 

 hangs the forward viewport; it is synonymous 

 with bow but with a specific kind of bow. 



"Trim" is the means used by a submersible 

 to either transfer weight or rearrange dis- 

 placement forward or aft to incline the sub- 

 mersible's bow up or down. Trim in a subma- 

 rine refers to arranging ballast such that the 

 submarine is buoyantly stable at a particular 

 depth. Occasionally the term "pitch" is synon- 

 ymous with trim in submersibles. 



"Exostructure" herein refers to the struc- 

 tural framework external to the hull which 

 supports the batteries, propulsion units and 

 other components. Surrounding the exo- 

 structure may be a "fairing" which smooths 

 out the envelope of the exostructure. Some 

 manufacturers refer to the exostructure as 

 the "framework" and fairings as the "skin." 



The term "operator" refers to the individual 

 who controls the movements of the submers- 

 ible and it is synonymous with "pilot." Ini- 

 tially the term pilot was used and was quite 

 descriptive, but in the late sixties the U.S. 

 Navy introduced the term operator when it 

 invoked certification for the operator(s), i.e., 

 pilots, of submersibles. As long as the term 

 operator has remained within the military it 

 served the purpose, but in the private sector a 

 submersible can be and quite frequently is 

 owned by one company, operated by another 

 and piloted by an employee of the operating 

 company. The dilemma, therefore, is apparent 

 when one speaks of the operator of the sub- 

 mersible, is it the firm or the individual? When 

 this confusion looms, the term pilot is used to 

 distinguish the individual from the firin. 



Many other terms are used which are gen- 

 erally explained within the text, but the best 

 appreciation for the diversity from vehicle-to- 

 vehicle can be gained by noting the different 

 names given to components on the schematics 

 in Chapter 4. The names given to various 

 submersible components are those used by the 

 owners or operators. While it might be taxo- 



