Very High Speed Torpedoes

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syscom3

Pacific Historian
14,873
11,289
Jun 4, 2005
Orange County, CA
Iran has announced they have "perfected" torpedoes that travel extremely fast (200 mph plus?).

I looked at some web sites to see if this is possible. It looks like it is, as it works on a "supercavitation" principal.

Read for yourself. Think its actually a threat that cant be defended against?

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/4/23/220813.shtml

http://suppressednews.com/newsitems/world/AlAyEVAEukbkaGgay.html

http://warfare.ru/?catid=267&linkid=1728 (and scoll down the page to BA-111 Shkval underwater rocket)
 
Supposedly those Shkval torpedoes have been around for years. You'd just hope to god that you had enough distance between you and it to take some kind of deffensive measure.
 
Maestro said:
No honestly, it's scary...
To say the least. Russian weapons have never been known for their accuracy, but then they didn't always have to be accurate. What they lack in guidance, they make up for in yield. If that thing goes off within a mile...well you probably get the picture. Assuming it's nuclear of course, which it well could be. A Shkval will get to you mighty fast too.
 
According to wikipedia:
In 2004 the German weapons manufacturer DIEHL BGT Defence announced their own supercavitating torpedo called the Barracuda.
 
I wonder what a defence would be against these.

It would make a tremendous noise while underway, and the ships defenses would easily "hear" it.

Would a large conventional underwater detonation in its path create a shockwave that would wreck the cavitation bubble and deflect it?
 
syscom3 said:
I wonder what a defence would be against these.

It would make a tremendous noise while underway, and the ships defenses would easily "hear" it.
That will probably the last thing they will hear.
syscom3 said:
Would a large conventional underwater detonation in its path create a shockwave that would wreck the cavitation bubble and deflect it?
I doubt it would help.I think its easier just to destroy the torpedf course, if you will have enough time.
 
I heard that some versions apparently don't have a warhead and just use kinetic energy

Apparently supercaviating bullets were also developed for an underwater assault rifle

Allegedly design began in the 1960s - could make a good Bond film



From

http://www.deepangel.com/html/the_squall.html

http://www.periscope.ucg.com/mdb-smpl/weapons/minetorp/torpedo/w0004768.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VA-111_Shkval_torpedo
 
If the torpedo is traveling at 200 mph, then its traveling at about 3 miles per minute. If the sub is close, then the targeted ship has a very short time period to react. If its at its outer ranges, smaller ships would have time to react and get out of its way. Larger ships like the carriers might have a chance, depending on its response to the helm.

While this torpedo sounds quite deadly, remember that its speed isnt blindingly fast. An anti-torpedo torpedo is quite possible as a defense. A combined closing rate of 250 knots is not fast as compared with missles which have supersonic closing rates.
 
syscom3 said:
An anti-torpedo torpedo is quite possible as a defense.
Are there any such anti-torpedos now?If I am not mistaken Russian Fleet have some kind of missiles that can be fired in the direction of incoming torpedo.But are there any anti-torpedo torpedos?
 
Iranians are all talk as usual, their tech is just old rehashed stuff from the soviets or US, like their new aircraft, one of which is a mildly rehashed version of an F-5 with F/A-18 style tail, the other is a development of a Russian training aircraft.

Even the Germans have developed supercav torps but theirs is guided and faster by the sound of it, supposedly can even intercept the shkval. I'd say the Ruskies and Yanks are probably much further beyond that tech to let the Iranians get hold of it.


some stuff in german I can't understand
http://www.morgenwelt.de/609.html

US must have something like it, they are certainly working on the tech, here is a link to one that could be used as a high speed transport for seal teams.
http://www.darpa.mil/ATO/solicit/underwaterexpress/index.htm

some interesting comments on defensetech
http://www.defensetech.org/archives/002291_comments.html

http://www.defensetech.org/archives/001688_comments.html

 
According to the german article, Barracuda made 432 kts. at trials. It seems to be designed as answer (?) to the shkval with full homing capability to intercept the noisy shkval. It also is said that Barracuda can be fired from all 533 mm tubes and dropped from aircrafts or even helicopters if the need arises. Development suffers from recent gouvernmental fund cutting.
 
Nonskimmer said:
Say what you want to about the Shkval, I sure as hell wouldn't like to be in the water with one.

Especially in a submarine... In a standard ship, you can at least hope to get out of a torpedo hit alive. But in a sub... You have three choices :

1 - Die instantaneously in an implosion.
2 - The sub slowly let water in and you drown.
3 - Same situation as #2 but you manage to make it to a "secured" area of the ship and you wait for help until you die asphyxiated.
 

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