Operational Manned Vehicles of the Soviet Union

Data on the development, testing, support aspects, and use of four major Soviet DRV´s are reviewed. Information on submersible mishaps and other vehicle and support ship related problems is reported. Based on available information, the Soviet Union is showing increasing interest in the development of DRV´s, and there is a visible effort on the part of developers to upgrade DRV development priorities to a small-lot production basis. There is also evidence of interest on the part of Soviet DRV developers to eventually enter the international DRV marketplace, given a more positive attitude by the government.