ASSESSMENT OF RELEVANCE OF AIR-INDEPENDENT PROPULSATION POWER PLANTS DEVELOPMENT AND CONVENTIONAL SUBMARINES EXPORT POTENTIAL

Great demand for naval engineering and for submarines in particular results from the increased strife in some regions of the world; and it requires the development of modern naval forces ensuring the appropriate level of a state security. Submarines are one of the components of naval forces of developed countries. Today, only three countries in the world – the USA, France and England – turned away completely from the arming of their fleets with the conventional submarines; moreover France offers conventional submarines for export. Other countries carry out active development of conventional submarines both with “classic” diesel-propulsation power plant and different variants of air-independent propulsation power plants. In this connection, the efficiency of conventional submarines use in coastal and close maritime zones reached the level (or even overcomes) of nuclear-powered submarines. The development and introduction of air-independent propulsation power plants allowing to increase greatly the underwater range became one of the key factors of success.

Over the 1945 to 1991 period, the USSR and Germany were the main countries-exporters of submarines; Italian companies supplied mostly super-small submarines, and a number of countries also exported retired submarines. Today, the competition between the main manufacturers of conventional submarines ratchets up sharply.

The article gives the review of international conventional submarines market, presents the main companies-developers, manufacturers and countries-importers of submarines.