The fastest torpedo in the world: name, speed and destructive consequences

The history of the creation of a high-speed torpedo

The motivation for creating an ultra-high-speed torpedo was the fact that the Soviet fleet was not able to compete in quantitative terms with the US Navy. Therefore, it was decided to form a weapon system that satisfies the following requirements:

• compact;
• capable of installation on most surface and underwater vessels;
• capable of reliably hitting enemy ships and boats at a great distance;
• inexpensive production.

In the sixties of the 20th century, work began on creating the fastest torpedo in the world, so that it could destroy enemy targets at a great distance and be inaccessible to the enemy. G.V. Logvinovich was appointed chief designer of the project. The difficulty was to create a completely new design capable of reaching speeds of hundreds of kilometers per hour under water. The first sea trial was carried out in 1965. Two serious problems arose during the design:

• achieving very high speed due to hypersound;
• a universal method of placement on submarines and ships.

The solution to these problems dragged on for more than 10 years, and only in 1977 the missile, designated VA-111 Shkval, was put into service.

Is there a more dangerous torpedo than the Shkval? (PHOTO, VIDEO)

The domestic Shkval torpedo, known as the fastest in the world, will be modernized for new purposes and tasks, said the general designer of the profile (Dagestan), the first chairman of the Russian Scientific Council for Torpedo Engineering, Academician Shamil Aliyev.

This is impossible. This contradicts all laws of physics. This cannot be implemented technically. Scientists all over the world thought so. But the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute denied their opinion.

“One of the open issues that I am dealing with now is designing the hydrodynamic appearance of the future Shkval-type torpedo, determining the boundary of air and water in the cavern. When we define it, we will be able to “load” it. We will understand what the payload could be. The hydrodynamic appearance means the basis for the layout of an underwater missile, its capabilities,” Aliyev said.

As an example, he said that when the world realized that the effectiveness of Shkval was “nightmarish,” they began to try to make it controllable, RIA Novosti reports.

“For example, the American analogue of Shkval involves wearing a special multi-layer sensor “skirt”. That is, several “skirts” of sensors are put on the torpedo along the hull, which receive signals from operators, and depending on the command, the torpedo can change course,” the academician said.

The first “Shkval” was created in the 50s of the 20th century; these torpedoes are capable of traveling underwater in an air cavity at a speed of up to 500 km/h (depending on the density of the water environment) (!!! - sgerr).

In June, the Russian Ministry of Defense and the Caspian, after negotiations with the acting head of Dagestan Ramazan Abdulatipov, agreed to conclude a contract worth 5 billion rubles.

In March, it became known that a criminal case had been initiated due to Dagdizel’s failure to fulfill a state contract for the supply and modernization of military missiles worth 2 billion 700 million rubles.

Dagdiesel is one of the oldest and largest factories in Dagestan, founded in 1932. In Soviet times, it was considered one of the leading diesel and torpedo manufacturing plants in the USSR. Since 2008, it has been part of the Marine Underwater Weapons – Gidropribor concern.

The company is engaged in the development and production of marine underwater weapons for the Navy, the creation of industrial and marine diesel engines, diesel power plants for land and marine purposes, the manufacture of fittings for ventilation and air conditioning systems of ships, vessels and watercraft, as well as various machines for agricultural, construction and food purposes.

The first "Shkval" appeared in the USSR in the 60s. It was put into service in November 1977 as part of the Shkval complex. High speed is achieved by equipping the torpedo rocket with a unique jet engine running on liquid metal fuel.

This multi-purpose high-speed underwater missile is designed to destroy surface and underwater targets. Targeting is carried out according to the target coordinates previously entered into its control system, which guarantees its 100% noise immunity. The foreign analogue is the Barracuda anti-submarine torpedo, created in Germany in mid-2005.

The Shkval missile can be used by standard surface- and underwater-based torpedo tubes. Effective firing range – 7 km, cruising range – up to 10 km. The minimum permissible firing range is 0.5 km. Underwater launch depth is up to 30 m. The warhead is high-explosive, weight is at least 210 kg.

P.S. Industrial recovery is good. What is in Dagestan is doubly good.

SOURCE: https://www.vz.ru/news/2013/6/17/637548.html

Blog of user sger AS.

nnils

And one more opinion. I'm not an expert, so I won't comment.

At the turn of the 1960s-70s, experimental developments appeared in the Soviet Union on the topic of heavy torpedoes aimed at the wake of enemy ships.
Around the same time, when asked by a war correspondent: “How are you going to protect aircraft carriers from Russian super-torpedoes?” One of the senior representatives of the US Navy gave a simple and laconic answer: “We will put a cruiser in the wake of each aircraft carrier.” Thus, the Yankees recognized the absolute vulnerability of aircraft carrier groups to Soviet torpedo weapons and chose, from two evils, the best option, in their opinion: to use their own cruiser as a “human shield.” Actually, the US Navy didn’t have much to choose from - the 11-meter 65-76 “Kit” 650 mm ammunition, better known as the “Soviet fat torpedo,” left American sailors no choice. This is inevitable death. A dexterous and long “arm” that made it possible to hold the fleet of a “potential enemy” by the throat. The Soviet Navy has prepared a “farewell surprise” for the enemy - two alternative endings to a naval battle: getting half a ton of TNT on board and falling into the bottomless depths of the sea, tumbling and choking in the cold water, or finding a quick death in a thermonuclear flame (half of the “long torpedoes” » was equipped with a self-propelled unit). The phenomenon of torpedo weapons Whenever turning to the topic of confrontation between the USSR Navy and the US Navy, the authors and participants in discussions somehow forget that in addition to the existence of anti-ship cruise missiles, in naval warfare there is another specific weapon - mine-torpedo weapons (Combat Part-3 according to the organization of the Russian Navy).
Modern torpedoes pose no less (and even greater) danger than supersonic anti-ship missiles - primarily due to their increased stealth and powerful warhead, 2-3 times the mass of warheads of anti-ship missiles. The torpedo is less dependent on weather conditions and can be used in conditions of strong waves and heavy gusts of wind. In addition, an attacking torpedo is much more difficult to destroy or “knock off course” by jamming - despite all efforts to counter torpedo weapons, designers regularly propose new guidance schemes that devalue all previous efforts to create “anti-torpedo” barriers. Unlike damage caused by an anti-ship missile hit, where such problems as “fighting fires” and “fighting for survivability” are still relevant, an encounter with a torpedo poses a simple question to the unfortunate sailors: where are the life rafts and inflatable vests? – ships of the “destroyer” or “cruiser” class are simply broken in half by the explosion of conventional torpedoes. A decommissioned Australian frigate was destroyed by a Mark.48 torpedo (warhead mass - 295 kg)

The reason for the terrible destructive effect of the torpedo is obvious - water is an incompressible medium, and all the energy of the explosion is directed into the body.
Damage in the underwater part does not bode well for sailors and usually leads to the rapid destruction of the ship. Finally, the torpedo is the main weapon of submarines, and this makes it a particularly dangerous means of naval combat. Russian response During the Cold War, a very absurd and ambiguous situation developed at sea. The American Navy, thanks to carrier-based aircraft and sophisticated air defense systems, was able to create a naval air defense system that was exceptional in its strength, making American squadrons virtually invulnerable to air attack. The Russians acted in the best traditions of Sun Tzu. The ancient Chinese treatise “The Art of War” says: go where they are least expected, attack where you are least prepared. Indeed, why “climb the pitchforks” of carrier-based fighters and modern anti-aircraft systems if you can strike from under water? In this case, the AUG loses its main trump card - the submarines are completely indifferent to how many interceptors and early warning aircraft are on the decks of the Nimitz. And the use of torpedo weapons will allow you to avoid encounters with formidable air defense systems.

Multi-purpose nuclear powered vessel of project 671RTM(K)

The Yankees appreciated Russian humor and began frantically looking for means to prevent underwater attacks. They succeeded in something - by the beginning of the 1970s it became clear that a torpedo attack by an AUG using the available means was fraught with a mortal risk. The Yankees organized a continuous anti-aircraft defense zone within a radius of 20 miles from the aircraft carrier order, where the main role was assigned to the under-the-keel sonars of the escort ships and the ASROC anti-submarine missile torpedoes. The detection range of the most modern American sonar AN/SQS-53 was up to 10 miles in active mode (line of sight); in passive mode up to 20-30 miles. The firing range of the ASROC complex did not exceed 9 kilometers. The “dead sectors” under the bottoms of the ships were reliably covered by multi-purpose nuclear submarines, and somewhere far in the ocean, tens of miles from the moving squadron, anti-submarine helicopters and specialized Viking and Orion aircraft conducted a continuous search.

Sailors from the aircraft carrier USS George W. Bush release an AN/SLQ-25 Nixie towed anti-torpedo decoy overboard

In addition, the Americans took decisive measures to counter the fired torpedoes: behind the stern of each ship the float of the towed noise trap AN/SLQ-15 Nixie “dangled”, which made the use of torpedoes with passive guidance on the noise of the propellers of enemy ships ineffective.
Analyzing the current situation, the Soviet sailors rightly judged that the chance of being detected by anti-submarine aircraft is relatively small - any AUG, convoy or detachment of warships is unlikely to be able to constantly keep more than 8-10 vehicles in the air. Too small to control tens of thousands of square kilometers of adjacent water space. The main thing is not to be caught by the sonars of escort cruisers and nuclear submarines of the US Navy. In this case, it is necessary to fire torpedoes from a distance of at least 40...50 kilometers (≈20...30 nautical miles). There were no problems with detection and target designation - the roar of the propellers of large ship formations was clearly audible hundreds of kilometers away. Heavy torpedo 65-76 "Kit". Length - 11.3 m. Diameter - 650 mm. Weight - 4.5 tons. Speed ​​- 50 knots. (sometimes up to 70 knots are indicated). Cruising range - 50 km at 50 knots or 100 km at 35 knots. The mass of the warhead is 557 kg. Guidance is carried out along the wake. Having decided on the choice of weapon, the sailors turned to industry representatives for help and were quite surprised by the response they received. It turned out that the Soviet military-industrial complex acted proactively and had been developing “long-range” torpedoes since 1958. Of course, special capabilities required special technical solutions - the dimensions of the super-torpedo went beyond the usual 533 mm torpedo tubes. At the same time, the achieved speed, firing range and mass of the warhead led the sailors to indescribable delight. The most powerful underwater weapon ever created by man was in the hands of the USSR Navy. 65-76 “Whale” ... an 11-meter “arrow” rushes through the water column, scanning the space with a sonar for the presence of inhomogeneities and turbulences in the aquatic environment. These turbulences are nothing more than a wake - water disturbances remaining behind the stern of a moving ship. One of the main unmasking factors, a “standing wave” is visible even many hours after the passage of large marine equipment. The Fat Torpedo cannot be fooled by the AN/SLQ-25 Nixie or thrown off course using drop traps - the hellish underwater tracker does not pay attention to noise and interference - it only reacts to the wake of the ship. In a few minutes, the soulless robot will bring 557 kilograms of TNT as a gift to American sailors.

The crews of American ships are in confusion: a terrible light flashed and shone on the sonar screens - a high-speed small-sized target. Until the last moment it remains unclear: who will get the “main prize”? The Americans have nothing to shoot a torpedo with - there are no weapons on board US Navy ships like our RBU-6000. It is useless to use universal artillery - traveling at a depth of 15 meters, a “thick torpedo” is difficult to detect on the surface. Small anti-submarine torpedoes Mk.46 are flying into the water - it’s too late! The reaction time is too long, the Mk.46 homing heads do not have time to lock on to the target.

Mk.46 torpedo shot

Here on the aircraft carrier they figure out what needs to be done - the command “Stop the car!” flies down.
Fully back!”, but the 100,000-ton ship, by inertia, continues to stubbornly crawl forward, leaving a treacherous trail behind the stern. There is a deafening roar of an explosion, and the escort cruiser Belknap disappears behind the stern of the aircraft carrier. More fireworks erupt on the port beam - a second explosion tears the frigate Knox apart. On the aircraft carrier they realize with horror that they are next! At this time, the next two torpedoes are rushing towards the doomed formation - the submarine, having reloaded the devices, sends the Yankees a new gift. In total, the Barracuda's ammunition loadout includes twelve super-ammunitions. One after another, the boat fires “thick torpedoes” from a distance of fifty kilometers, watching the Yankee ships rushing along the surface of the ocean. The boat itself is invulnerable to anti-aircraft defense systems of the aircraft carrier group - they are separated by 50 kilometers. Mission accomplished! The situation for American sailors was complicated by the fact that “thick torpedoes” were included in the ammunition load of 60 nuclear-powered ships of the USSR Navy. The carriers were multi-purpose nuclear submarines of projects 671 RT and RTM(K), 945 and 971. Also, project 949 “loaves” were equipped with super-torpedoes (yes, dear reader, in addition to the missiles of the P-700 complex, the “loaf” could hit a “potential enemy” a dozen torpedoes 65-76 “Kit”). Each of the above submarines had two or four torpedo tubes of 650 mm caliber, ammunition varied from 8 to 12 “thick torpedoes” (of course, not counting conventional 533 mm caliber ammunition).

Location of 8 torpedo tubes in the bow of the multi-purpose nuclear submarine pr. 971 (code “Shchuka-B”)

The “fat torpedo” also had a twin brother – torpedo 65-73 (as follows from the index, it was created several years earlier, in 1973).
Full drive and fire! Unlike the “intellectual” 65-76, the predecessor was an ordinary “Kuzka’s mother” for the destruction of everything living and inanimate in its path. 65-73 were generally indifferent to external interference - the torpedo traveled in a straight line towards the enemy, guided by the data of the inertial system. Until the 20-kiloton warhead detonated at the calculated route point. Everyone who was within a radius of 1000 meters could safely return to Norfolk and dock for long-term repairs. Even if the ship did not sink, a nearby nuclear explosion would tear out the external radio-electronic equipment and antenna devices along with the “meat,” break the superstructure and cripple the launchers—one could forget about completing any mission. In a word, the Pentagon had something to think about. Killer torpedo This is what the legendary 65-76 is called after the tragic events of August 2000.
The official version says that the spontaneous explosion of a “thick torpedo” caused the death of the K-141 Kursk submarine. At first glance, the version is at least worthy of attention: the 65-76 torpedo is not a baby rattle at all. This is a dangerous weapon that requires special skills to handle. Torpedo engine 65-76

One of the “weak points” of the torpedo was its propulsion unit - an impressive firing range was achieved using a hydrogen peroxide engine.
And this means gigantic pressures, violently reacting components and the potential for the onset of an involuntary reaction of an explosive nature. As an argument, supporters of the “thick torpedo” version of the explosion cite the fact that all “civilized” countries of the world have abandoned hydrogen peroxide torpedoes. Sometimes from the lips of “democratically minded specialists” one hears such an absurd statement, supposedly a “poor scoop” created a torpedo using a hydrogen peroxide mixture only out of a desire to “save money” (of course, the “specialists” did not bother to look on the Internet and at least briefly familiarize themselves with the performance characteristics and the history of the appearance of “thick torpedoes”). However, the majority of Marines, who are familiar with this torpedo system first-hand, question the official point of view. There are two reasons for this. Without going into details of the strict instructions and regulations for storing, loading and firing “thick torpedoes,” naval experts note that the reliability of the system was very high (as high as the reliability of a modern combat torpedo can be). 65-76 had a dozen fuses and serious “fool protection” - it was necessary to perform some completely inadequate actions in order to activate the components of the torpedo’s fuel mixture. Over a quarter of a century of operation of this system on 60 nuclear submarines of the USSR Navy, no difficulties or problems were noted with the operation of this weapon. The second argument sounds no less serious - who and how determined that it was the “fat torpedo” that was responsible for the death of the boat? After all, the torpedo compartment of the Kursk was cut off and destroyed at the bottom by explosive charges. Why did you need to saw off the bow at all? I'm afraid we won't know the answer anytime soon. As for the statement about the worldwide abandonment of hydrogen peroxide torpedoes, this is also a fallacy. Developed in 1984, the Swedish heavy torpedo Tr613, powered by a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and ethanol, is still in service with the Swedish Navy and the Norwegian Navy. And no problems! A Forgotten Hero In the same year, when the lost Kursk boat sank to the bottom of the Barents Sea, a major espionage scandal erupted in Russia involving the theft of state secrets - a certain US citizen Edward Pope tried to secretly acquire documentation for the Shkval underwater missile-torpedo.
This is how the Russian public learned about the existence of underwater weapons capable of reaching speeds of 200+ knots (370 km/h) underwater. The public liked the high-speed underwater system so much that any mention in the media of the Shkval missile torpedo evokes an equally flurry of admiring responses and joyful declarations of love for this “miracle weapon,” the analogs of which, of course, do not exist. The high-speed rocket-torpedo "Shkval" is a cheap rattle compared to the "Soviet fat torpedo" 65-76. The Shkval's fame is undeserved - the torpedo is completely useless as a weapon, and its combat value tends to zero. Shkval underwater missile. Interesting thing, but completely useless

Unlike the 65-76, which fires at 50 kilometers or more, the Shkval’s firing range does not exceed 7 km (the new modification is 13 km). Few, very few. In modern naval combat, reaching such a distance is an extremely difficult and risky task. The warhead of a rocket torpedo is almost 3 times lighter. But the main “catch” in this whole story is that “Shkval”, due to its high speed, is an unguided weapon, and the probability of it hitting even a weakly maneuvering target is close to 0%, especially considering that the “Shkval” attack is devoid of any stealth. An underwater missile on a combat course is easy to detect - and no matter how fast the Shkval is, by the time it covers 10 km, the ship will have time to change course and move a considerable distance away from the calculated aiming point. It is not difficult to imagine what will happen in this case to the submarine that fired Shkval - the distinct trail of the missile-torpedo will clearly indicate the location of the submarine. In a word, the miracle weapon “Shkval” is another fruit of journalistic fantasies and philistine imagination. At the same time, the Real Hero - the “Soviet fat torpedo”, the mere mention of which made NATO sailors’ knees tremble, was undeservedly slandered and buried under the weight of the past years. In connection with the Kursk nuclear submarine disaster, a decision was made to remove the 65-76 Kit torpedo from service with the Russian Navy. A very dubious and unjustified decision, probably made not without prompting from our “Western partners.” Now no Shkval will replace the lost combat capabilities of submarines.

Author Oleg Kaptsov

Source: topwar.ru.

Interesting Facts

At the end of the seventies of the last century, Pentagon scientists proved by calculation that, for technical reasons, it is impossible to develop significant speeds under water.

Therefore, the military department in the United States was skeptical about information about the ongoing development of the fastest torpedo in the world in the Soviet Union. These messages were considered planned disinformation. And USSR scientists calmly completed tests of a high-speed self-propelled underwater mine. The Shkval torpedo is recognized by all military experts as a weapon that has no analogues in the world. It has been in service with the Navy for many years.

The fastest domestic underwater missile VA-111 "Shkval"

— speed on the march is almost 200 knots (100 meters per second); — unification for standard TA;

The principle of using "Shkval"

The application of this underwater missile is as follows: the carrier (ship, coastal launcher), when detecting an underwater or surface object, works out the characteristics of speed, distance, direction of movement, and then sends the received information to the autopilot of the missile-torpedo. What is noteworthy is that the underwater missile does not have a seeker; it simply carries out the program that the autopilot sets for it. As a result, the missile cannot be distracted from the target by various interferences and objects.

Testing a high-speed missile torpedo

Testing of the first samples of the new missile-torpedo began in 1964. Tests are taking place in the waters of Issyk-Kul. In 1966, testing of the Shkval began on the Black Sea, near Feodosia, from the diesel submarine S-65. Underwater missiles are constantly being improved. In 1972, another sample with the working designation M-4 could not pass the full test cycle due to problems in the design of the sample. The next model, which received the working designation M-5, successfully passes the full cycle of tests and, by decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR in 1977, under the code VA-111, the missile-torpedo was accepted into service with the Navy.

Interesting

At the Pentagon at the end of the 70s, as a result of calculations, scientists proved that high speeds under water are technically impossible. Therefore, the United States military department treated incoming information about the development of a high-speed torpedo in the Soviet Union from various intelligence sources as planned disinformation. And the Soviet Union at this time was calmly completing tests of the missile-torpedo. Today, Shkval is recognized by all military experts as a weapon that has no analogues in the world, and has been in service with the Soviet-Russian Navy for almost a quarter of a century.

Operating principle and design of the Shkval underwater missile

In the middle of the last century, Soviet scientists and designers created a completely new type of weapon - high-speed cavitating underwater missiles. An innovation is used - the underwater movement of an object in the mode of developed separated flow. The meaning of this action is that an air bubble is created around the body of the object (steam-gas bubble) and, due to the drop in hydrodynamic resistance (water resistance) and the use of jet engines, the required underwater speed is achieved, which is several times higher than the speed of the fastest conventional torpedo.

The use of new technologies in the creation of a high-speed underwater missile became possible thanks to fundamental research by domestic scientists in the field of: - movement of bodies under developed cavitation; — interactions between the cavity and jets of different types; — motion stability during cavitation. Research on cavitation in the Soviet Union began to be actively studied in the 40-50s in one of the branches of TsAGI. Academician L. Sedov supervised these studies. G. Logvinovich also took an active part in the research, and later became a scientific supervisor in the development of the theory of applied solutions on issues of hydrodynamics and cavitation in relation to rockets using the principle of cavitation in motion. As a result of these works and research, Soviet designers and scientists found unique solutions for creating such high-speed underwater missiles.

To ensure high-speed underwater propulsion (about 200 knots), a highly efficient jet engine was also required. Work on creating such an engine began in the 1960s. They are held under the direction of M. Merkulov. E. Rakov completed the work in the 70s. In parallel with the creation of a unique engine, work is underway to create a unique fuel for it and the design of charges and production technologies for mass production. The propulsion system becomes a hydrojet ramjet engine. Hydroreacting fuel is used for operation. The impulse of this engine was three times higher than modern rocket engines of that time. It was achieved by using sea water as a working material and oxidizer, and hydroreacting metals were used as fuel. In addition, an autonomous control system was created for the high-speed underwater missile, which was created under the control of I. Safonov and had a variable structure. The automated control system uses an innovative method of controlling the underwater movement of a missile-torpedo; it is due to the presence of a cavity.

Further development of the missile-torpedo - increasing the speed of movement - becomes difficult due to significant hydrodynamic loads on the body of the product, and they cause vibration-type loads on the internal elements of the equipment and body.

The creation of the Shkval missile-torpedo required the designers to quickly master new technologies and materials, create unique hardware and equipment, create new capacities and production facilities, and unite various enterprises in many industries. The leadership of everything was carried out by Minister V. Bakhirev with his deputy D. Medvedev. The success of domestic scientists and designers in implementing the latest theories and extraordinary solutions in the world's first high-speed underwater missile was a tremendous achievement of the Soviet Union. This opened up the opportunity for Soviet-Russian science to successfully develop this area and create promising samples of the latest weapons with the highest characteristics of movement and destruction. High-speed cavitating-type underwater missiles have high combat effectiveness. It is achieved due to the enormous speed of movement, which ensures the shortest possible time for the missile to reach the target and deliver the warhead to it. The use of missile weapons underwater without a seeker makes it much more difficult for the enemy to counter this type of weapon, which makes it possible to use it in the Arctic region under the ice, i.e., it fully retains the positive aspects of conventional missiles. The Shkval missile-torpedoes, after being put into service, significantly increased the combat potential of the Navy of the Soviet Union, and then the Russian Federation. At one time, an export modification of the Shkval high-speed underwater missile, Shkval-E, was created. The export version was supplied to a number of friendly countries.

Tactics for using a torpedo

The Shkval complex is equipped with non-standard tactics for using torpedoes. The carrier on which it is located, having detected an enemy ship, processes all characteristics: direction and speed of movement, distance. All information is entered into the autopilot of the self-propelled mine. After launch, it begins to move strictly along a pre-calculated trajectory. The torpedo does not have a homing system or course correction system.

This fact, on the one hand, is an advantage, and on the other, a disadvantage. No obstacles encountered along the way will prevent the Shkval from deviating from the given course. He is rapidly approaching the target at enormous speed, and the enemy does not have the slightest chance of maneuvering. But if suddenly an enemy ship unexpectedly changes the direction of its movement, the target will not be hit.

The highlight of 150 kilotons and torpedo design

Speed ​​and engine

General description of the external ballistics of the torpedo: high speed is provided by the jet engine, and water resistance (1000 times greater than resistance in the air) is overcome thanks to the air “cocoon” enveloping the entire body (8.2 m in length). It follows from this that this is an ordinary rocket floating under water.

There are two engines: booster and sustainer.

The booster (starter) runs on liquid fuel for 4 seconds, launches the missile from the torpedo tube, and then undocks.

The marcher begins work - it reaches cruising speed and delivers the cargo to its destination. Solid fuel - metals (lithium, magnesium, aluminum) that react with the oxidizing catalyst - water. The enormous noise of a fired torpedo is one of the main drawbacks, immediately revealing the submarine.

An air “cocoon” (cavity) is a gas shell created by a special gas generator. The gas is released onto the body and distributed by a cavitator located in front of the “head” of the torpedo.

I see a purpose, but I do not see obstacles

The navigation system uses a program that is set immediately before the torpedo is launched.

Following the specified target coordinates, the weapon moves following a route and maneuvering four small rudders.

Along the way, she cannot be distracted by any interference or devices - she floats where she was told and that’s it. The lack of a homing system is the second of the main drawbacks.

Surprise on board

The warhead uses 210 kg of conventional explosives or 150 kilotons of nuclear explosives. Detonation of a nuclear warhead, even close to an enemy ship (within a radius of 1000 m), has dire consequences.

Namely, destruction of external deck devices, light weapons from the shock wave and the possibility of damage from an electromagnetic pulse. After such an attack, you should go, if not to the bottom, then at least for repairs.

Feasibility of launch

The cost of launching a torpedo will include not only the production of the torpedo itself, but also the submarine and the value of the entire crew. The range is 14 km - this is the first main drawback.

In modern naval combat, a launch from such a distance is suicidal torpedoing for the submarine crew. Of course, only a destroyer or frigate is capable of dodging the “fan” of launched shells, but it is also unlikely to escape from the scene of the attack, within the coverage area of ​​the escort of an aircraft carrier and carrier-based aircraft.

Description of the device and engine

When creating a high-speed rocket, fundamental research by Russian scientists in the field of cavitation was used. The jet engine of the Shkval supersonic torpedo consists of:

• A launch booster used to accelerate a torpedo. It operates for four seconds using liquid fuel and then undocks.
• Main engine delivering a mine to the target. Hydro-reacting metals are used as fuel - aluminum, lithium, magnesium, which are oxidized by sea water.

When a torpedo reaches a speed of 80 km/h, an air cavitation bubble is formed to reduce hydrodynamic drag. This occurs due to a special cavitator located in the bow and producing water vapor. Behind it there is a series of holes through which portions of gas pass from the gas generator, which allows the bubble to completely cover the entire body of the torpedo.

When an enemy object is detected, the ship's control and guidance system processes the speed, distance, and direction of movement, after which the data is sent to an independent surveillance system. The torpedo does not have automatic targeting, so nothing prevents it from reaching its target. She strictly follows the program that the autopilot has given her.

Torpedo tube design

As the name suggests, a torpedo tube is a mechanism designed for firing torpedoes, as well as for transporting and storing them while traveling. This mechanism has the shape of a tube identical to the size and caliber of the torpedo itself. There are two shooting methods: pneumatic (using compressed air) and hydropneumatic (using water that is displaced by compressed air from a designated reservoir). Installed on a submarine, the torpedo tube is a fixed system, while on surface ships, the device can be rotated.

The operating principle of a pneumatic torpedo apparatus is as follows: when receiving the “start” command, the first drive opens the cover of the apparatus, and the second drive opens the valve of the compressed air tank. The compressed air pushes the torpedo forward, and at the same time a microswitch is activated, which turns on the motor of the torpedo itself.

For a pneumatic torpedo tube, scientists have created a mechanism that can disguise the location of a torpedo shot under water - a bubble-free mechanism. The principle of its operation was as follows: during the shot, when the torpedo had passed two-thirds of its path through the torpedo tube and acquired the required speed, a valve opened through which compressed air went into the strong hull of the submarine, and instead of air, due to the difference between the internal and external pressure, the apparatus was filled with water until the pressure balanced. Thus, there was practically no air left in the chamber, and the shot went unnoticed.

The need for a hydropneumatic torpedo tube arose when submarines began to dive to depths of more than 60 meters. The shot required a large amount of compressed air, and it was too heavy at such a depth. In a hydropneumatic apparatus, the shot is fired by a water pump, the impulse from which pushes the torpedo.

Specifications

Testing and modification of the torpedo, which had already been put into service, continued after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The speed of the fastest torpedo in the world is about 300 km/h. It is achieved through the use of a jet engine. According to the developers, this is not the limit. The high resistance of water, which is hundreds of times greater than the resistance of air, was reduced using supercavitation. This is a special mode of movement of an 8 m long body in a water space, in which a cavity with water vapor is formed around it.

This state is created using a special head cavitator. As a result, the speed increases significantly and the range of movement increases. The fastest torpedo in the world leaves no time for enemy ships to maneuver, although the range is only 11 kilometers. The warhead consists of 210 kg of conventional explosive or 150 kilotons of nuclear explosive. The speed of a torpedo weighing 2.7 tons is 200 knots or 360 km/h. Immersion depth is 6 m, and launch depth is up to 30 m.

Carriers of torpedo weapons

As mentioned above, the first carrier of torpedo weapons is a submarine, but besides it, of course, torpedo tubes are also installed on other equipment, such as airplanes, helicopters and boats.

Torpedo boats are light, lightweight boats equipped with torpedo launchers. They were first used in military affairs in 1878-1905. They had a displacement of about 50 tons, and were armed with 1-2 torpedoes of 180 mm caliber. After this, development went in two directions - increasing displacement and the ability to carry more installations on board, and increasing the maneuverability and speed of a small vessel with additional ammunition in the form of automatic weapons up to 40 mm caliber.

Light torpedo boats from World War II had almost identical characteristics. Let's take the Soviet G-5 project boat as an example. This is a small fast boat weighing no more than 17 tons, had on board two 533 mm caliber torpedoes and two 7.62 and 12.7 mm caliber machine guns. Its length was 20 meters, and its speed reached 50 knots.

Heavy torpedo boats were large warships with a displacement of up to 200 tons, which we used to call destroyers or mine cruisers.

In 1940, the first prototype of a torpedo missile was presented. The homing missile launcher had a 21 mm caliber and was dropped from anti-submarine aircraft by parachute. This missile hit only surface targets and therefore remained in service only until 1956.

In 1953, the Russian fleet adopted the RAT-52 torpedo missile. Its creator and designer is considered to be G.Ya. Dilon. This missile was carried on board aircraft such as Il-28T and Tu-14T.

The missile did not have a homing mechanism, but the speed of hitting the target was quite high - 160-180 m/s. Its speed reached 65 knots, with a range of 520 meters. The Russian Navy used this installation for 30 years.

Soon after the creation of the first aircraft carrier, scientists began to develop a model of a helicopter capable of arming itself and attacking with torpedoes. And in 1970, the Ka-25PLS helicopter was adopted by the USSR. This helicopter was equipped with a device capable of releasing a torpedo without a parachute at an angle of 55-65 degrees. The helicopter was armed with an AT-1 aircraft torpedo. The torpedo was 450 mm caliber, with a control range of up to 5 km and a depth of entry into the water of up to 200 meters. The motor type was an electric disposable mechanism. During the shot, electrolyte was poured into all batteries from one container at once. The shelf life of such a torpedo was no more than 8 years.

Torpedo modifications

Improvement work continued after its commissioning, and even in the difficult 90s of the last century. Several versions of the torpedo were produced:

• Shkval-E is an export version of a self-propelled underwater mine, manufactured in 1992. It is intended for sale to other states and strikes only surface targets. This variant has a conventional warhead and a shorter range. Work continues to improve the version for a specific customer.
• "Shkval-M" - has improved characteristics: the warhead is increased to 350 kg, the range is up to 13 km.

Modifications of this torpedo are carried out constantly, especially to increase the range of destruction.

Foreign analogues of "Shkval"

For a very long time there was no underwater mine even close to the speed of the fastest torpedo in the world at 300 km/h. And only in 2005, a similar torpedo called “Barracuda” was produced in Germany, which, according to the developers, has a slightly higher speed than the “Shkval” due to the stronger cavitation effect. There is no data available about the remaining characteristics of the invention. In 2014, there were reports that a similar torpedo had been designed in Iran, reaching a speed of 320 km/h. Many countries are trying to develop such an analogue of a self-propelled underwater mine, but so far there are no similar aerial bombs in service comparable to the fastest torpedo in the world, Shkval.

Rocket torpedo "Shkval" - Let's learn from our mistakes

From 1942 to 1945, during the fighting in the Pacific Ocean, American aircraft carrier groups were constantly subjected to air raids by the Imperial Japanese Air Force. As statistics show: aircraft carriers were often destroyed due to bombing and kamikazes, rather than heavy cruisers sunk by torpedo attacks and artillery of the Japanese.

Taking into account the experience of World War II, American minds came to the conclusion: it is necessary to develop air defense systems and aviation to protect their aircraft carrier groups.

In the brewing Cold War, Soviet engineers also took into account experience, only not their own, but American. Why climb on anti-aircraft pitchforks when you can strike from under water... With approximately the same thoughts in the depths of domestic research institutes, they began work on promising weapons for submarines, later, including work on the M-5 Shkval torpedo.

Advantages and disadvantages

The Shkval missile torpedo is a unique technical invention, which was worked on by specialists from different fields of knowledge. To do this, it was necessary to create new quality materials, design a fundamentally new engine, and adapt the phenomenon of cavitation to jet propulsion. But despite this, like any other type of weapon, the Shkval torpedo has advantages and disadvantages. The positive aspects of the fastest torpedo include:

• Enormous speed of movement - does not allow the enemy to defend himself.
• A large warhead charge has serious destructive consequences for large ships and is capable of destroying an aircraft carrier group in one salvo.
• Universal platform - allows the installation of aerial bombs on submarines and surface vessels.

The disadvantages include the following:

• Noise and strong vibration arise due to the enormous speed of the torpedo, which gives the enemy a chance to determine the location of the carrier.
• Short range – maximum target engagement distance is 13 km.
• It is impossible to control due to the cavitation bubble.
• Insufficient diving depth - no more than 30 m, which is ineffective in destroying submarines.
• High price.

Torpedoes with remote control capability and a longer firing range are currently being developed.

German submarines in World War II

TORPEDOES OF GERMAN SUBMARINES

The nomenclature of German torpedoes may seem extremely confusing at first glance, but there were only two main types of torpedoes on submarines, differing in different fuses and course control systems. In fact, these two types G7a and G7e were modifications of the 500 mm G7 torpedo, which was used during the First World War. By the beginning of World War II, the caliber of torpedoes was standardized and adopted as 21 inches (533 mm). The standard length of the torpedo was 7.18 m, the explosive mass of the warhead was 280 kg. Due to the battery weighing 665 kg, the G7e torpedo was 75 kg heavier than the G7a (1603 and 1528 kg, respectively).

The fuses used to detonate torpedoes were a source of great concern to submariners, and many failures were recorded early in the war. By the beginning of World War II, the G7a and G7e torpedoes were in service with a contact-non-contact fuse Pi1, triggered by a torpedo hitting the ship’s hull, or by exposure to a magnetic field created by the ship’s hull (modifications TI and TII, respectively). It soon became clear that torpedoes with proximity fuzes often went off prematurely or did not explode at all when passing under the target. Already at the end of 1939, changes were made to the design of the fuse that made it possible to disable the non-contact contactor circuit. However, this was not a solution to the problem: now, when hitting the side of a ship, torpedoes did not explode at all. After identifying the causes and eliminating the defects, since May 1940, the torpedo weapons of German submarines have reached a satisfactory level, except for the fact that a workable contact-proximity fuse Pi2, and even then only for G7e torpedoes of the TIII modification, entered service by the end of 1942 ( The Pi3 fuze developed for G7a torpedoes was used in limited quantities between August 1943 and August 1944 and was considered not reliable enough).

Torpedo tubes on submarines were usually located inside a pressure hull at the bow and stern. The exception was Type VIIA submarines, which had one torpedo tube installed in the aft superstructure. The ratio of the number of torpedo tubes to the displacement of the submarine, and the ratio of the number of bow and stern torpedo tubes remained standard. On the new submarines of the XXI and XXIII series, stern torpedo tubes were structurally absent, which ultimately led to some improvement in speed characteristics when moving under water.

The torpedo tubes of German submarines had a number of interesting design features. Changing the depth of travel and the angle of rotation of the torpedo gyroscope could be carried out directly in the devices, from the computing device (CSD) located in the conning tower. Another feature worth noting is the ability to store and deploy TMB and TMC proximity mines from the torpedo tube.

TYPES OF TORPEDOES

TI(G7a)

This torpedo was a relatively simple weapon that was propelled by steam generated by the combustion of alcohol in a stream of air coming from a small cylinder. The TI(G7a) torpedo had two propellers that rotated in antiphase. The G7a could be equipped with 44, 40 and 30-knot modes, in which it could travel 5500, 7500 and 12500 m, respectively (later, as torpedoes were improved, the range increased to 6000, 8000 and 12500 m). The main disadvantage of the torpedo was its bubble trail, and therefore it was more appropriate to use it at night.

TII(G7e)

The TII(G7e) model had much in common with the TI(G7a), but was driven by a small 100 hp electric motor that rotated two propellers. The TII(G7e) torpedo did not create a noticeable wake, developed a speed of 30 knots and had a range of up to 3000 m. The G7e production technology was developed so effectively that the production of electric torpedoes turned out to be simpler and cheaper compared to their steam-gas counterpart. As a result of this, the usual ammunition load of a Series VII submarine at the beginning of the war consisted of 10-12 G7e torpedoes and only 2-4 G7a torpedoes.

TIII(G7e)

The TIII(G7e) torpedo developed a speed of 30 knots and had a range of up to 5000 m. An improved version of the TIII(G7e) torpedo, adopted for service in 1943, received the designation TIIIa(G7e); This modification had an improved battery design and a torpedo heating system in the torpedo tube, which made it possible to increase the effective range to 7500 m. The FaT guidance system was installed on torpedoes of this modification.

TIV(G7es) "Falke" ("Hawk")

At the beginning of 1942, German designers managed to develop the first homing acoustic torpedo based on the G7e. This torpedo received the designation TIV(G7es) “Falke” (“Hawk”) and was put into service in July 1943, but was almost never used in combat (about 100 were manufactured). The torpedo had a proximity fuse, the explosive mass of its warhead was 274 kg, however, with a fairly long range - up to 7500 m - it had a reduced speed - only 20 knots. The peculiarities of the propagation of propeller noise under water required firing from the target's aft heading angles, but the probability of catching it with such a slow torpedo was low. As a result, TIV(G7es) was considered suitable only for firing at large vehicles moving at a speed of no more than 13 knots.

TV(G7es) "Zaunkonig" ("Wren")

A further development of the TIV(G7es) “Falke” (“Hawk”) was the development of the homing acoustic torpedo TV(G7es) “Zaunkonig” (“Wren”), which entered service in September 1943. This torpedo was intended primarily to combat escort ships of Allied convoys, although it could also be used successfully against transport ships. It was based on the G7e electric torpedo, but its maximum speed was reduced to 24.5 knots to reduce the torpedo's own noise. This had a positive effect - the range increased to 5750 m.