My thanks to Roger Sanger, the copyright holder, for granting me permission to host this article on my web site.  To quote him, "I was looking for a new home for DGP's 2300 AD articles, and naturally I picked the best fan sites on the Web for that purpose.  Kudos to Pentapod's World!  Enjoy!" - Kevin Clark - January 24th, 2000.

Necessary resources are not always available on land, in extremely shallow water, or in open space.  This necessitates the use of submersibles for exploration and exploitation beneath the seas of charted worlds.

Beginning in 2260, the Life Foundation began the extensive use of the Squid line of submersibles for use in the DM-3 1123 system, on Austin's World.  This effort got off to a slow start, but began to expand once the bugs had been worked out of the concept.  Now these small subs are widely used on several colonized worlds in the American Arm.

There is quite a range of different vehicles available, but one of the most popular models is the 34-TK-ZD Squid manufactured by the Bronnen Corporation in New Cambridge on Austin's World.  Its size, maneuverability, and flexibility of use make it one of the best all-round submersible vehicles in use today.  It has a wide range of exchangeable manipulators, complete with the best telepresence software available.  It can withstand up to 1500 atmospheres ( Earth standard) of pressure.  Its controls are simple to learn and use, and modular design of critical components makes it an easy machine to assemble and maintain ( a crucial factor on frontier worlds).

On some models there is an airlock that can be used for ferrying divers, dry foot personnel, and cargo between surface and underwater stations or between two stations.

The usual Squid contains three or four work stations and is manned by four to six people.  Its instruments include both visible light and infrared floodlights and spotlights, standard sonar, side scanning sonar, thermometers, pressure gauges, and current speed meters.  Some models will have an extended scientific package, but this is the standard package.

The Squid's usual work assignment ranges from exploration and mining through fishing to underwater taxi and UW barge towing.  Most models of the Squid are hydrogen powered, although a few use small nuclear engines reminiscent of the powerplants used by warsubs back in the late twentieth century on Earth.

Displacement: 18 tons; Price: Lv45,000.

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