من اهم مميزات الغواصات الغير نووية هي القدرة على عدم رصدها. بدون aip يسهل ذلك.
Air-independent propulsion (
AIP), or
air-independent power, is any
technology that allows a non-nuclear
to operate without access to
(by surfacing or using a
). AIP can augment or replace the
of non-nuclear vessels.
Modern non-nuclear submarines are potentially stealthier than
; a nuclear ship's reactor must constantly pump coolant[
], generating some amount of
. Non-nuclear submarines running on battery power or AIP,
on the other hand, can be virtually silent. While nuclear-powered designs still dominate in submergence times and deep-ocean performance, small, high-tech non-nuclear attack submarines are highly effective in coastal operations and pose a significant threat to less-stealthy and less-maneuverable nuclear submarines
