The concept of an aircraft launched from a submarine is almost as old as naval aviation itself. On January 6, 1915, a modified seaplane called the «Friedrichshafen» was launched from the deck of the German submarine U-12. In the autumn of 1917, in Germany, the «Brandenburg,» which was adapted for storage directly on board a diesel-powered submarine, was tested.
Oil has long become the most sensitive nerve of the global industry. Often, «black gold» is most profitably transported by water, rather than by land. The route taken by vessels of this type is called the «oil route.» As early as the 19th century, when coal was the primary raw material, crude oil was transported in wooden and zinc barrels in the holds of specialized sailing ships designed for oil transportation.