Experience of the use of manned submersibles in P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of Russian Academy of Sciences

P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology RAS has one of the largest underwater scientific fleet. Six manned submersibles with different operating depth are described: the submersibles "Argus" (600 m); lock-out type vehicle "Osmotr" (300 m); the "Pisces-VII" and "Pisces-XI" (2000 m); and "MIR-1" and "MIR-2" (6000 m). During twenty years over 100 expeditions with these vehicles were conducted to different sites of World ocean and inland waters of Russia, over 1500 dives of the submersibles were done. Valuable scientific data were obtained during the expeditions. Special underwater operations on different objects on ocean floor were provided. Deep ocean images for the movie films were done. During the expeditions new technologies and methods of the operations with manned submersibles were implemented. Brief introductions of the experience of the technical operations with the above mentioned vehicles are presented in this paper.