For nearly 30 years, Canada has been a leader in the development and sale of undersea vehicles. One company (which ceased doing business in 1975) was the third largest builder (15 built) of DSVs in the world. Today, a company in Vancouver is the largest manufacturer of tourist submersibles, with more than 12 delivered throughout the world. Another Vancouver company proposed two tourist submarines in the early 1990s. In the ROV and AUV vehicle sectors, several Canadian companies have built a wide variety of ROVs, ranging from low-cost inspection vehicles to work ROVs. Several AUVs have also been built in Canada. In all, more than 200 undersea vehicles of various types have been produced in Canada (McFarlane, 1995). Canadian companies have also developed an aluminum-oxygen battery that has been tested in an AUV (Stannard et al., 1994).

Canadian scientists have also been evaluating the usefulness of ROVs as scientific platforms, and one DSV was used for university research. Canadian Armed Forces have used DSVs, ROVs, and AUVs for a variety of support missions. While this work represents only a few vehicles, it has been ongoing for more than two decades. The Canadian Hydrographic Service has also operated AUVs.

In Norway, the Defense Research Establishment developed a low-hydrodynamic-drag AUV powered by magnesium-seawater batteries (Apel, 1993). The original mission of the AUV was surveillance; however, it is now occasionally used for research. The AUV has operated under remote control via acoustic link out to ranges of 110 nautical miles with satisfactory results. Using low-voltage magnesium battery, a potential range of 1,100 to 1,200 nautical miles is possible. This battery has one of the highest specific energy specifications to date.

Apel, J. 1993. Norwegian Defense Research Establishment. Mg-Seawater-Battery-Powered Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, January–September 1992. Circulated memo. Laurel, Maryland: The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.

Asakawa, K.J., J. Kohima, Y. Ito, Y. Shirasaki, and N. Kato. 1993. Development of autonomous underwater vehicle for inspection of underwater cables. Pp. 208–216 in Proceedings, Underwater Intervention '93 held January 18–21, 1993 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Washington, D.C.: The Marine Technology Society.

Given, D. 1991. Underwater technology in the USSR. Oceanus 34(1):67.

ITRI (International Technology Research Institute). 1994. World Technology Evaluation Center Program. Pp. 72–73 in World Technology Evaluation Center Panel Report on Research Submersibles and Undersea Technologies. Baltimore, Maryland: Loyola College of Maryland.

JAMSTEC (Japan Marine Science and Technology Center). 1992. Pp. 1–52 in Long-term Plan of Japan Marine Science and Technology Center. Yokosuka, Japan: JAMSTEC.

McFarlane, J. 1995. Personal communication to Donald W. Perkins, April 14, 1995.

MAST (Marine Science and Technology in the United Kingdom). 1990. P. 145 in Report of the Coordinating Committee for Marine Science and Technology (CCMST). London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

Mooney, J.B., H. Ali, R. Blidberg, M.J. DeHaemer, L.L. Gentry, J. Moniz, and D. Walsh. 1996. World Technology Evaluation Center Program. World Technology Evaluation Center Panel Report on Submersibles and Marine Technologies in Russia's Far East and Siberia, in press. Baltimore, Maryland: Loyola College of Maryland, International Technology Research Institute.

Okamura, K. 1990. Ocean technology in Japan: Recent advances, future needs and international collaboration. Journal of the Marine Technology Society 24(1):32–47.

OTA (Office of Technology Assessment). 1993. P. 15 in Statement of Peter A. Johnson before a Hearing of the Subcommittee on Mineral Resources and Development, Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on November 4, 1993.

Stannard, J.H., G.D. Deuchars, J.R. Hill, and D. Stockburger. 1995. Sea trials of an aluminum/hydrogen peroxide unmanned underwater vehicle propulsion system. Pp. 181–191 in Proceedings Manual, AUVS '95 held July 10–12, 1995 in Washington, D.C. Arlington, Virginia: Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International.

Front Matter (R1-R14)

Executive Summary (1-6)

Introduction (7-17)

Undersea Vehicle Capabilities and Technologies (18-46)

Vital National Needs (47-69)

Priorities for Future Development (70-75)

Enhancing the Nation's Capacity for Undersea Work and Research (76-81)

Conclusions and Recommendations (82-84)

Appendices (85-89)

A Biographical Sketches of Committee Members (90-92)

B Foreign Developments (93-94)

C Development of Deep Submersible Vehicles in the United States: 1958-1994 (95-95)

D U.S. Government Agencies That Own and/or Use Submersibles (96-98)

Acronyms (99-100)