Volume

ll

Issue

132

Published by
Orbis Publlshing Ltd
@ Aerospace Pub ishing Ltd 1986

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lan Drury

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Picture acknowledgements

Distribution and marketing offices:

3863

Cover photograph: Marcon 2621; US Ndvy/US Navy 2622: AEG via MARS, LrncsAEG vla MARS Lncs
2623: US NavyiUS Navy 2624: US Navy/US Navy 2625: US Navy,/US Naly/US Na!y. 2626: US Narry (four)
2627; RAF Museum Hendon{JS Navy,US Navy,uS Navy 2628: MARS, Lrncs DTCN (four). 2629: Marcon!
Marconi 2630: Marcon 263I: Marconi. 2632: Marcon/Marconi. 2633: Royal Navyr'Marconi/Marconi 2634:
Swedish Navy/Nomegran MoD. 2635: Noryeqian Navy/Royal Netherlands Navy/US Navy. 2636: Bob Mm
rolAssociated Press. 263?: LockheecliUS Navy/US Navy 2638: US Navy/l{one}Telylsraeli Delence Farce
2639: US Navy,iUS Navy/US Na!y. 2640: Whrtehead Moto-Fldes,ryVhltehead Moio Fides (iii): Associatec
Press/Aerospatiale. (iv): Merican Navy

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r\ /cffer

(Ipons

technologicalrcvolutionof the tast fow decadesfias

seen a profomd change in the waging of war at sea, withthe
torpedo rcplacing the depth charge as the major antiThe

submarine weapon and the torpedo itself being

complemented, or in some cases replaced in the anti-shipping

role by the guidedmissile.

With the advent into service of the British Strngray lightwerght ASW
torpedo in the early 1980s, the era of the intelligent (or 'smart,) weapon
arrived in the fleld of torpedo technology. Already the Americans are
moving fast to close the gap by replacing their outmoded Mk 46
weapons by the 'smart' Mk 50, whilst both the Royal and US Navies are
working to fleld as early as possible new heav)-werght torpedoes (in the
form of the Spearfish and Mk 48 ADCAP respectively) to counter the
new generation of faster and deeper-dtving Sovret nuclear submarines
that have jusL entered service.
At the same trme the Soviets took the opportunity of springing their
own surprise in torpedoes rn the form of therr Type 65 long-range
wake-homing anti-ship weapon of 609.6-mm (24-in) cahbre aboard
attack vessels. Such weapons are backed by a wide range oi standard
533-mm (2l-in) calibre steam- and electric-powered models (with
speeds ranging from 28 kts up to 45 kts or so) including the only nucleararmed torpedo left rn service with any navy. The Soviets also deploy a
wide variety of smaller weapons mainly for ASW use. Surprisingly it is
only in the last few years that any reports of wire-guided weapons in

Themodern
ligh tw eight torped o, in
combination with the

dedicated antisubmarine helicopter,

ftasexfendedllIe
capabilityof ASW

vesse/s loan enormous

extent. This is an

AmericanMk46

torpedo attached to an
5H-3^SeaKrng

helicopter, a
combination common
toseveralNATO
navies.

service with the soviets have surfaced, and to date these have not beer

substantiated.

Of the other torpedo-producing nations only Sweden has produced

remarkably different designs, Its heaq4veight Tp6l family is based on a
hydrogen peroxide propulsion system of the type discaided by othet
Western countries such as the UK as being too dangerous to iandje

under operational conditions, And the Swedish hghtweiqht Tp42 series

is.still the only Western torpedo of tts class that cin be gnrided by wue
alter an arrborne launch.
For the next century there is the prospect ol torpedo-tike weapons
used as robotic sub-surface vessels in the place of manned submarines.
such systems would be controlled from shore bases and form defensive
barriers around friendly countries.
The launch of a modern heavyrveight torpedo from asurface yesse,lfias
changed little from those launched from-the destroyers and fast attack craft
WorldWar II. What has changed, however, is the means by whi"i
is directed onto its tatgeL

tiiieiiii

of

; ];Jt,*ro$

r.

ft'At"lefunken

Seal, Seeschlange, SST4 and SUT torpedoes

These AEG-Telefunken weapons con-

stitute a complete family

of

heavyweight torpedoes. The basic

electdc:powered dual-speed SeaI and
Seeschlange (sea snake) were de-

veloped speciflcally for use by the

West German nalry, and are currently

rn use aboard rts 'Type 205/206' submarines, whilst the Seal is also employed on some ligrht forces' missile
craft, There is a hrgh degree of equipment commonalrty between the two
weapons, the major difference beinQt
that the smaller ASW Seeschlange has
only halfthe propulsrve battery capacity of the antiship Seal. An active/passive homing head is fitted with a dualcore wire-gnridance system that allows

rapid changing between speeds,

attack pattems and guidance modes in

order to meet the needs ofdeveloping

tactical situations.
The Seal was then taken as the model for the Special Surface Target (SST)
4 torpedo. which excepL Ior certain
features unique to West German operational requirements is comparable in
dimensions, construction and capabilities to its predecessors. Used as the

standard anti-ship weapon sold with

export 'Type 209' submarines and
West German missile craft, the SST4 is

found in various NATO and South

er'.,,. .:-::,::: ,....!::.4: t).

American navies, and was used operationally by the Argentine submarine

San luls during the 1982 Falklands war

,,.

in several abortive torpedo

attacks
against Royal Nalry task force ships,

The Seal was then further de-

veloped to produce the export Surface

and Underwater Target (SUT) torpedo,

As a dual-purpose ASWanti-ship
weapon capable of being launched

:rom surface ships. submarines or

shore positions the SUT has the same

shallow-water and deep-diving en-

gagement capabilities of the other

i-nembers of the family plus the same

:ontact and magrnetic proximity fusing
:t'stems, Like the SST4 it rs in produc:cn for export with the 'Type 209' sub::AIInES

Specification
Seal

Dimensions: diameter 533 mm (21 in);

,::nh6.0B m(19,95 ft), or6 55 m
:- 19 ft) withwire gn-udance casket
1370 kq (3,020 ft)
'Veight:
(573-lb) HE
'Tarhead: 260-kq
Performance: speed 23 or 35 kts;
:::.;= 28 or 12 km ( 17 40 or 7.46 mlles)

il

A missile-armed Type 143 fast attack

craft of the West G erman navy makes
a test launch o{ an AEG/Telefunken
Seal

torpedo. One of

family of

weapons, it is designed for the

engagement of surface targets, and
isfittedtoType 142 and 143 boats as
well as aboardType 206 submarines.

Specification
SeescNanqe
Dimensions: diameter 533 mm (21 in);
length 4, 15 m (13,62 ft), or 4 62 m
(15. 16 ft) withwire eruidance casket
Weight: 800 to 900 kq ( 1,764 to I,984 lb)
Warhead: 100 kq (220-lb) HE
Performance: speed 23 or 35 kts;
range 14 or 6 km (8.70 or 3,73 miles)

Right: The Surface and Underwater

Target (SUT) torpedo, seen being
Ioaded aboard one of thewidely
exported'Type 209' submarines, is
the mostversatile of the AEGT elefunken heavytveigh t tor pedo

range. Itis a dual-purposeweapon,

wire guided for greater accuracy.
lengthO 04 m(19 82 ft), or6,50 m
(21.33 ft) wrthwrre gn-udance casket
Weisht: 1414 ks(3, I 17 lb)
Warhead:260 kq (5731b) HE
Performance: speed 23 or 35 kts;
range 28 or 12 km (17.40 or 7,46 miles)

Specification
ssT4
Dimensions: diameter 533 mm (21 in);

Specification
SUT

Dimensions: diameter 533 mm (2I 1n);

lenqth6, 15 m (20 1B ft), or6 62 m
(21,72 ft) with wire gmrdance casket
Weight: t414 ks (3 117 lb)

Warhead:260-ks (573 Ib) HE

Performance: speed 23 or 35 kts;
range 28 or 12 km (17.40 or 7 46 miles:

Houi"t sea mines

The offensive mines are mainly
gnound mines, of which the most impofiant are the AMD-500 and AMD1000 types (the number referring to the
relevant mine's nominal weight tn kilograms). The AMD-500 contains 300 kgt
(661

lb) and the AMD'1000

700

ks

(1,543 1b) of HE Using magnetlc,

acoustic, pressure or combinatton in-

fluence actuating systems, these

weapons have also been wtdely exported, evidence beinEt provided by

recent wars in the Middle and Far

East The pressure types are almost
certainly used oniy by the USSR and
her most trusted Warsaw Pact Part-

ners, however, because of the possibility of technologry compromrse and

the fact that in other hands they may
well be used agtainst their designers

eventually

offensive ASW role aqainst NATO

marines because of their covert 1a1.ir-;

capabilities. These would be backe
by aircraft of the Soviet naval ar forc:
whilst any defensive layinq would c=
the responsibility of surface ship url-

available can also be Lrsed rn a secondary antrship role. These two types

Specification

There are also qrowinq Soviet

stocks of risrng mines and underwater

electrical potential mines for use in the

targets. The rwo rypes of risrng mine

are believed to be the 'Cluster Bay'

continental shelf and'Cluster Gulf continental Iedge types in NATO terminologty, There is also a smal1 stockpile of
nuclear-armed mines v,rth yields between 5 and 20 kilotons for use aqainst
very high-value surface ships or submarines such as nuclear-powered aircraft-carriers and 'Ohro' class SSBNs.
The primary offensive mrnelaying
plaliorms available to the Soviet navy
are its conventronally-powered sub-

M08

Dimensions: diameter 0.90 m (2 95 -'

maximum case length 6 096 m (20.C Charge weight: I 15 kq (253,5 lb)
Maximum laying depth: 130 m (421 .

Specification

IGI

Dimensions: diameter 0,9 m (2.95

maximum case length 9. 144 m (30 i Chargeweight: 230 kq (507 lb)

Maximumiayingdepth:275 m (902

--

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rrit.t:;1.

r:e Io;rie"';:'irDl r,hesee Jangsarjr"oss r?afr/fun;-le'lrl $f e.,l.e,.r {olel,.rre'rr*.alf

tfre';zlas.':-;;:e Ameri.t:a-tm,r.=::r'-lfureemecnt of E,,tra"uc cfuadj.V.A'I,(.l r;rou.{rJreqrl.re;n rl.rtder tai

hol'el Jiouief g;i'oil,nd,fu; ses t-rn iiae 6"el* fral.Fl"et,rl f"
In

y..':a.r-s

r;Jc, ,huf e*uJdAe cj.sed

rneri"rharif ennreys.

efe*ijyely a;::r: :

oiclel ior l'.,lATO lo resist, halt arid then diirze

- I o ,'l ,. . Do o . . .n.c Wes :n

Eu.rope vast amounts ol sr-r;rp.lies and heavy

ellirlpm.eni must be morre,j via lhe sea lr.nes of
communrcatrcns (SLOCs) across the l.lolth
AtlantLc, Althougrh ilany oithe norlhern SL,OCs
ivculci be open to ioint ii'rterdiciLon by Sorlet
na,ral arr iorce rrrissile-carrylng s:rike legim,
enls and

b_1r

surlace shrps and. subrnarines ihe

sou:hern ones -r,rould beccme the priority

iafq.ets for subrnarines alone. Because ol the

ciistances invclved and speed reqrll:ements lc

.h:.-^r .e

ri,,or-rlJ-

r.,r .O-F'O

a 1r'.oCl-

be a.ssigned io lhe nllclear-porruered

ciuise-. r,iissile and tcr:pedo aitack boats, rrvhrlst

\,rva-rers, nalu.ral choke pr]tnts and poit

a.ieas -',r,.oulci become the hunting ground fcr
tle au,"tar ccrrren'rionally pcl,,vered uirils
i'ire Sovic.--l iheo i:y of submarine -urariare con
irnua.l1;r stless-os the r1'ounlnr; Of Co-ordinated
;.,irack-q blr a rrarietrv oi rrlulualJy supporiinq plal-

coasial

.r:l;:i:i'il fi:e.:r.ln-qiJe'-Fapa' elas-s c;ru.ls* ;"yli-qs.lJe

:r.r!t l:ri.ne c+;:.fd i,:;e.f],bil ffi a]:ra.luys*r ef a seri*s
.:.:''r:.r.i:;.'ia.';;res des'rgrur,i:C i* i*jc* ln iil* uS flnn-ie;:
:1,.:r'ii= G!'{ri:l], es "tJie ls a.fpa:rexf.l.'' a de-reitrpnenf
':t',1.i+ 'il.lier":'i*:' r:.kss ,tnr;e: Jrc:"n ltng seri:l* cf,ijle
.: 1 :;';ti:l r:;r:' a',tCh.r] i,f 4.iij' {rf tJ]e iif f.l'e- tiigJ': -s,pe**i
,'1. ir.: :!.i ;r' cla
":.:"

aa...

S:-,'.et Attack

l::a.-ed positioning
. . . :='...=i crdfl wourd requrre Lhe posi,. ,:- : SSIs and SSGNs (after high-speed
:, ,-.. j -r,rr- :leir patrol and holdrng areas) in
: . -, -. .::,:rs tc avoid any possibillty oi in.--' :. -::. :onee and bearing from the
.
. -..-r" posi'ron and route would be
r -:..,:a: -::crding to the submarine's own
. ..- : ,r-l he-r abihLv o disengage
- ..',,'.- -:,= ionc-range missile attack element
' , -: .. ::cvided by two or three SSGNs
- --,r::i ,'::r SS-N 3 'Shaddock' or SS-N-12
::: j' - :r:,se missrles, These boats would
: ::: :..: crearranged time to launch a co: -:.. I s rean attack of missiles from sever. : :-'-:.= r': :r cne side of the convoy in order
'- -1 - - - . ^nrl iLSescortsinLo awelt
: - ..--r:lence deploymenr pat'ern and
, :i: rs :ruch confusions as possible. The
:

-.,

:----:::,e rn each salvo fired would also be

- . . :l:d foCOnnatSSanCe Syslem tO Send

l-:-'.-y posi-ronrng data qrLa a dala.. -: .- .fle la,lnch plallorm lor lo,iow on

. . ': '. -:: : ^re salei-rle communications chan

- - -- : nmand centre and as manv ol lh-o
:: :.. :rKurg units as possible Dunng the
- ::,--<n {285/350-mi1e) fliqrht of the SS-N-3
.. :i 1..-i2 mLssiles, which use rnedium- to
.

--:-.---*ie terminal attack profles, one or two

.---- --cis SSGNs would close'o lheir own

.. : . -i..:ons nealel Lo Lhe convoy and on irs

..-..

r f e lo frre palrs oi therr orn n 55 km (34

-. : r-r_:e SS N 7 or 110 km (68 mite) range

. -.. I -: r+n pop-Lp
anr--shrp cruise missiles
-sea-skimminq
missiles would
- - =:: :erminal
.. 1 = i .o alrrve amongsl tile ships after Lhe
.' -: --nr ranqe missrtes had hit. lo cause
. .-:a.er coniusron and lhe adoprion of yer
-,-

-: :;asive manoeuvres within the convoy to

...:: .5em To:dd lurlher lo lhe convoys

: , r,,=:.rs at thls poini, two to three of the SSNs

,.r:.-rl

cutside the convoy's ASW screen and

= : - iced tc carry and fire the massive Type 65
. - -:-r1.124 -rn; wa<e homing antl-ship Lolpe-:, '-,':uici also have timed the launch of be-

"::r-

p-Qhr .nd l2 of rhese high-speed

' --ccns from astern or slightly abeam of the
from a range of some 30 to 50 km ( 18 6
"r: :-l-.'.y
-niles,to arrive at aboul Lhe trme rhar .he
. .-. 5 ,vere lulnrng Lo mee the new mLssi-e
. ::< Asingle hitlromoneofthese torpedoes
''.'-:l its large explosive charge in the vicinity ol
.r3el's steerinq gear wouid be enough to cnp:.: it and leave it a sitting duck for any of the
missr,es By rhrs sragc. aird il all
o.an had been followed coi- - ::.y and no 'rouble had beer- met. the convoy
-:. - iLs escorts would have bcen rhrown tnto
.,:al disorder with many damaged or sinking
- ,-ps litlenng its roule Any gaps opened rn lhe
iSW screen by the loss of an escort would then
:e exploiied by the remainlng SSNs lying in
-.Jnl ol the convoy and oursrde lhe escorts
,r.lvtr sonar ranqe -fhese wouid penelrale the
screen via the gaps and ciose to within some
,6 km (10 miles) ol the nrerchant ships to use

' -..-s<immrng
, .s of Lhe battle

.a:21

Above : A'Victor' class nuclear-powered attack

submarine submerges at the start of a patrol. Such
boats would form the spearhead of any Soviet
attack on the Atlantic jugular, duelling with
defending NATO hunter-killer submarines in the

icy depths.

Below:

A 'Sierra' class attacksu.brnanhe

is seen

underway tothenorth of Norway, Enlarged

versions of the very capable 'Victor III', the
'Sierras' could well make long-range attacks using
SS-NX-? I cruise mrlsrJes or tie new wake-homing
6 1 0-mm (24-in) very long-range torpedo.

Modern Underu;ater Weap o:, s

;l11$.{ffi1irlltry:3e;

Above: Thevery large'Oscar' class crujse mtssj/e

submarineis

rmedwith the 270 nauticalmile

rangedSS-iV-19, which alsc forms tftemarn sff,t'ke

weiponry of the nuclear power ed' battlecruiser'
Kirov.

Below: The loading of the Military Sealift

Command ship USTVS Mercurya t the portaf
Wilmington shows thewide range o{stores and
equipment that would be shipped across lie

Atlantic.

:rt
, dili,.-.

ti

.#i#q..-

-:i

ill ril
"rlsli,

Scvret Attack

..- -:,=::
. . .-

anC main armament of stralqht-

,.,,--;-^
tr)t - (21-in) anlr-ship
----.-,,e uuu-r-1rlt
. ..: :t-l acoustrc-homlng weapons to
-

-. - i-n:eed rargers and srnk as many as

ones. In ihe event
: r, . . r:sistance to these SSNs or the need
I ' -:tnvnazl^
.l+.^l/l}'^h
': ,-.:: short-range
torpedo
attacks,
then
- chnv+-v:nna
,
-s:J rn rhe long-ranqe stern or beam
-: :..ac-<S would be vectored in the the
:- r:i:mand authority from their weapon
. - - j-.-)ns to apply rhe coups-de-grace,
-':lse the above scenario is idealtzed

.. , .= :: lhe undamaged
-

::

Scr,rlet

Above: One of the first targets for attackiag Soviet

submarines would be the escorts. ?ftemosl
capable ASW vesse/s rn ffi e USffa vy are assigned
to the defence of the high-value carrier battle
groups. with less capabJe yesse,lsprotecting the
supply convoys.

Below: In the event o{ a crisis in central Europe. ti:

US couid be able to call upan the pre-positionec
vesse/s oflfiefiapid Deplayment joint Task Farce
which could be underway from their Indian Ocee:
bases and rnto the Mediterrcnean in davs rather

thanweeks.

point of view, and takes no

-:,... l:
.he plesenCe
cresence OI
weslern SUrlaCe
surfaee
of a WeSteIn
western
surlace
-- :ne
. .--+': irlier group with long-range pas
. : lrrdys, large numbers of ASW heli=r.: .'.-erhead maritime patrol aircraft and
-,- l. crolecton in the form of an SSN or
-:-:-j rl]l.g-range passlve sonars to detect
L . _a: sllcmarlnes manoeuvlmg at speed
a:tack positions, However, the sce-:-:
. ,=-.+red to conlain ail of the current
--..-, r-:- o ack optrons available lo Sovier
:::-=-::anders when using only subsuriace
.:. -:- aitack on a reinforcement convoy in
.-. .-:.-.

.:

-s: ci nuclear warheads on the missrles

-r' : -s rvould br,ng a whole new ou'a3 scenario, as area rather than indi-

- ....:lk-nq

---

:ie

unr-s regurred lo rnflrct on a

same or (more probably) a higher

:- :ianase, Irrkewise the use of tactical

:.i\V :l'eaoonsbv
.'. -iS\,ny'.r,ieapons
.=.:
thedetenclino
lorce
by the
defending force

=.

. ...

--, j-rnfl-cr enough losseson rhe artack-

. : '-:r::araes effectively to disrupt the Soviet

. : :-an belore it can become effective,

Important vessels in the resupply lifeline wauld

include the US Navy's specialist ammunition ships,
suclr as U,S,SKiska- One certaintywhichwas

j (

count the losses bul only the

highlighted by the Falklands experience is that

high-tech war will mean enormous expendifures
of weaponry.

The end result of the entire effarf :i eiemc-:,,:.'

by the unloading of supplies on tie docks ='
Rotterdam. It is essential that in any coniitc: :.'
NATO forces hold the Warsaw Pact adva r :.. the major American reinlorcements an'J":
Europe.
.

ffi

Houi"t torped.oes

Modern Undennrater Weapons

Soviet torpedoes, like their Western

counterparts, can be categorized into
healry and lightweight models for specific purposes, Of the former, two

caiibres are known: the standard

533 mm (2 L in) and the relatively new

609,6mm (24in). The 533-mm (2]-in)

versrons are thought to have been

evolved from German World War II
designs, and include straight- and pattern-runmng surface- and submarineIaunched steam- or electric-powered

models for anti-ship use, as well as

acoustic/passive homrng ASWantrship versions Surprisingly, most large
modern surface combatants have mul-

ti-tube launchers for the ASW acoustic-homing versions. There is also a

special 5-kiloton yield nuclear-armed
non-terminal-homing 533-mm (21-in)
1

torpedo in service on many of the submarines desrgmed for use against highvalue surface targets such as cafirers
or Very Large Crude Carrrers. SimilarIy the huse 9.14-m (30-ft) long 609,6
mm (24-in) anti-ship Type 65 torpedo
has been introduced on board latergeneration nuclear attack submadnes
for use against surface ship targrets, It rs
belreved to use wake-homing gur-

dance methods and, with selectable

50- or 30-kt speeds, has rangres of 50

and 100 km (31 or 62 miles) respectiveIy, With rangres like these the Type 65
rs being used to supplement the popup anti-ship cruise missile weapons of
'Charlie' class SSGNs, and the type's
availability for the frrst time allows
Soviet SSNs to fire torpedoes from outside the ASW screen of a convoy.
For air, shipboard and submarine
ASW uses at close ranqe a 400-mm

(15,75-in) electric-powered hght-

weight torpedo has been in service for

a number of years. This has now

apparently been supplemented for
use aboard ASW aircraft and helicop-

ters by an even larger 450-mm (17,7rn) weapon which is beheved to have a

largrer warhead and grreater range to

increase lethaiity. Both the airlaunched weapons use parachutes to re-

Above : The Yitse-Admiral Kulakov rs

the second ofthe largeASW
destroyers of the 'Udaloy' class. In
addition to her ASW missiles and
helicopters, sheis armedwith two
quadruple 533-mm (21-in) torpedo
tubes, one of which is visible astern
of the aft funnel structure.

tard their entry into the water,

According to some reports there is
also a short 400-mm (15,75-mm) antiship torpedo which is found aboard the

first-qeneration'Hotel','Echo' and
'November' class nuclear submarines
in their stern tubes, The later-genera-

tion nuclear submarine classes

apparently have had several of their
standard 533-mm (21-in) calibre torpe
do tubes fitted with liners to fire the
ASW version of the same weapon,
The standard fusrng system fitted to
Sovret torpedoes rs an active maqnetic
proximity device (to ensure detonatton
under the target's hull so as to break its
back) with a secondary contact unit for
a direct hlt.

Above : The'Alfa' c/ass submarlne is

considerably shorter than other
Sovief S.SIV design s , so it is unlikely to
have been fitted to fire the massive
6 1 )-mm ( 24-in) torpedo reportedly
in service with the Soviet navy
although it may he armed with the
slralegrcSS-/V- 2 I C ruise mis sile.

Below: Backbone of the Soviet antisubmarine force, the' Krivak' clas s.

like all major Saviet vessels, is fitted
with torpedo tubes. The eight tubes
abaft the bridge, in quadruple

mounts port and starboard,

pr o b a b ly fir e acou s tic a I ly - h om i ng
533-mm (2 I -in) torpedoes.

fE

iif'crv

L3, L4 and LS torpedoes

-ie

electric-powered 550-mm (21,7-

:ied

ASW homing healryweight tor-

-::) calibre L3 ship- or submarineJaun-

;edo rs currently in servrce with the

::ench navy and was designed by the

l:ection Technique des Construc.-:::s Navales to attack submerged

:::jets at depths up to 300 m (984 ft)

speeds from 0 to 20 kts. It is fitted

--i
,',,:- an AS-3T active acoustic gur-

:a:-ce system that has a detection

:--ge

of about 600 m (1,969 ft) in ideal

:::ditrors, and the warhead is deton=.=d by an electro-magnetic proxrmity
::-.-:g system, A 533-mm (21-in) ver.-::- ',.,rih the same perlormance is
-;."able for export, lenqth and weiqht

::-::g

4.318

(14, 17

ft) and

900

kg

- :31 1b), Apart from France, several

-:e countnes (including Spain)
-.';:-::: have bouqht 'Daphn6' class sub:,=-::es have also obtained the larger-

:-

The Sintra-Alcatel-built L3 is a
conventional ship- or submarinelaunched active acoustic homing
anti- submarine torpedo. U nusually,
ithasadiameterof 550 mm(21.65 in)
but has been offered in the more
standard 533 mm (2 I in) for export.
It is in widespread French naval
sewice.
sion ofthis has been developed for the
expofi market as the L5 Mod 4P multl-

role torpedo. All versrons are fltted

wrth a Thomson CSF active/passrve

gnridance system and are capable of

vadous attack profiles includinq direct

and programmed searches using

erther of the acoustic homing techniques available, Known operators ofthe

LS other than France include the Belgian navy (LS Mod 3) and Spain
(aboard submarines),

ruaannn

-:jlra

-:!sc ln servlce with the French navy

::e 533-mm (2]-in) electric-po--.

-.r::eC L-4 air-launched torpedo for
*<: ','i'rh helicopters, aircraft and the
1.1^':;cir ASW missile. Fitted with an
:--;e acoustic-homing system, rt de:::raes a crcular search path upon
=:--::xg the water until its seeker acr,*-res the target. The warhead rs de-

:::-::eci erther by an impact fuse or a

;::r:-mrty acoustic influence fuse.

:::::h

L4s have recently been mod-

=::,:ed

to rmprove shallow-water

::::::-rce and its 0/20-k target

per-

capa-

: "1,- nom penscope depth to around

: -'--:: (984-ft) deep cruisinq, A version
-:: s-:nace ship launching has also
::=: cieveloped: this has a lengrth of
: :, r:
- 2:r

-:.:

i10.83 ft) and a weiqht of 570 kq

1b).

most recent of the L-serres lor-

;:d:es is the electric-powered

L5,

-,'.-::-:: is avarlable in four versions, The

ASWanti-ship LS Mod I
ships, whilst the
:=-::iar-role but heavier LS Mod 3 is
by submarines. A sinqle-role
-:i
-,-J_art. the ASW t5 Mod 4, has been
:::,;ed fuom the Mod I and is used
::.:-_* by surface ships. A fufiher ver-

'.'-=l-curpose
:arned by surface

fI

iif'cN

Specification
L3

Dimensions: diameter 550 mm

(21,7in); lensth4.30m(14. II ft)
Weisht: 910 ks (2,006 lb)
Warhead: 200-kq (4411b) HE
Performance: speed 25 kts; rangre
7,5 km (4,66 miles)

Specification
L4

Dimensions: diameter 533 mm (2 L in);

length 3,033 m (9.95 ft), or 3, 13 m
( 10.27 ft) with parachute pack
Weisht: 540 kq (1,190 lb)
I/llarhead: 104-kq (229-lb) HE
Performance: speed 30 kts; range
5 5 km (3.4 miles)

Above:The L4 airJaunched torpedo

can function in shallow water against
submarines manoeuvring at up to
20 kts. I t also provides the warload
for the Malafon ASW missile system,
and a ship-launched version has

Below : The L5 series of multipurpose torpedoes is fittedwith

Thom s on - C SF ac tivel pas siv e

been desigrned.

fi

homingheads, although theMod I is

intended for surface yesse/ use and
the heavier Mod 3 version (shown
ere) egurps s ubm ar ines.

Specification

t5

Dimensions: diameter 533 mm (21 in);

length 4,40 m ( 14,44 ft)
Weisht: (Mod 1) 1000 kq (2,205 lb),
(Mod 3) 1300 ks (2,866 lb), (Mod 4)
920 ks (2,428 b) and (Mod 4P) 930 kg
(2,050Ib)
Warhead: 150-kq (331jb) HE
Performance: speed 35 kts; range
9.25 km (5.75 miles)

FIZ torpedo

---: FI7 ls the flrst wire-gurded

to be used by
:,: French navy Designed for use

:-=a-;gweigrht torpedo

-;:-:rst surface ships from submarines,

::
::

-.'!'eapon can be employed erther

in

,',.rre-giurded mode or in an auton-

:::::us passive homing mode,

the

::pabrlrty for instant swrtching be.;een the two modes beinq provided

::,

a control panel aboard the launch

: ajorm. The terminal attack phase is

' :.rnally ol lhe passrve dcoust'c type

::der the torpedo s own mternal con::1. A dual-purpose surface- or sub::-arne launched variant, the Fl7P, has
:so been developed for the export
::-arket and has been bouqht by Saudi

-i.labia
.Type ior use aboard its 'Madina'
F200Q') class frrgates and by

Sparn for use aboard rts 'Agosta' and

iiodernrzed 'Daphne class

sub-

narines. The FLTP differs from the

basrc F17 in having an active/passle

acoustic-homrnq seeker which allows
:ompletely autonomous operation if

required

Specification
FT7

Dimensions: diameter 533 mm (21 in);

2628

lenqth 5.9 L4 m ( 19.40 ft)

Weight: 1410 kq(3, 108 lb)
Warhead: 250-kq (5511b) HE
Performance: speed 35 kts; ranqe
lB km (11 iB miles)

The wire-guided F I 7 heavyweight torpedo is an anti-shipping submarinelaunchedweapon, although an automatichoming head is standard. The F17P
is a developmentcapable of shipor submarine launch, and in addition towte
gaidance is equipped for active or passive acoustic homing.ln all the models.
however, the terminal atfackpftasers usually autonomous.

Modern Underwater Weapons

Thomson-CSF sea mines

Thomson-CSF produces hvo types of
operatronal sea mine, The TSM35l0 (or
MCC23) is an offensive gnound mine
f,tted with a multi-sensor fusing system

based on two or all of the magmetic,

acoustic and pressure actuating influences, and rs shaped for launching

from the standard torpedo tube of a

submarine, The sensrtivity of the fusing
can be adjusted before laying to surt

the depth of water and the type of

target likely to be encountered, The
mrne is armed (by withdrawtng two
safety pins) before it is loaded into the
tube and is activated by a preset trmrng delay to allow the submarine to
clear the area, TWo srmilarly shaped

training mines, the TSM35l5

(MCED23) and the TSM35I7
(MCEM23), are also in servrce,
For defensive puposes there is the
TSM3530 (MCTIS), which is a gnound

ffi

rammes which were cancelled in

The Stingray is the first Britrsh
torpedo to be developed entirely by
private industry and incorporates a
1970,

number of technical innovations. The

weapon is capable of being launched
foom helicopters, aircraft and surface
ships over a wide range ofspeeds and
sea states and as a result ofits unique

qdance

mine deployed from surface ships

have purchased 'Daphn6' class sub-

Specification

fitted with mine rarls. It is checked in its

descent to the sea bottom by a parachute-retardingr device which ensures
that correct orientation is achieved, It

malmes,

TSM3530

is armed by a preset timing delay

which allows the laying platform to

clear the area,
Both mines are in servrce with the
French navy and have been sold
abroad, especially the TSM3510 which

is found in several of the countries that

: al shot when Stingray Cropped from

: BAe Nrmrod of No. 42 Squadron hit
decommissioned con=i sank the
;::-iional
submarine Porpoise,
-;larently

whrlst she was moored at

-:+:s:ope depth.
-r-:rough deployed operationally
several ships during the 1982
=;:-C
: .:rds war, Stingray was not flred
--, --;:r and did not actually enter full.:-: semce with the Royal Navy and
- -;=' -:- Force until 1983. Since then
-:- r-;=acon has been sold to Thailand
"-- :-=,-ci. ln terms of qeneral per--i::.::,le rt is simllar to the Mk 46
:., -;:- -: seems, the British torpedo
:- -' ;:-Jy deeper diving depth of
r., : :25 ft). The Strngray also pos-i;::-: ::- onboard digital computer
::-i:r:1 :: a multimode multi-beam
l:--.; !:Ssrve sonar that effectively
r:':-r: , : smart' weapon, Propulsion
-i :'ii :-_ :-ectncally-driven pump-jet
nn. -: I :E::._,. activated by sea water

t:,:- =::-]=s :3 speed loss

as the

depth

n:::--:
l:e warhead is of the
r--: - --:-:.i: l)' shaped-charge vani-i ::ii=: :-= blast type to ensure
;n:::r::: :: a Soviet Submarine's
:i!: -L:F:- t::-strLlction,
:-=FA-;, will form a part of the
t of several classes of

;;1;=-sr

.ilcm'ai -N+,i:rr-:-.rfa ce

combatant- The

ut:nF,j:P:- n{be launched from

mn:rme: ;=:= ans of the US M k 32

t!:tts lll'g - shown here in a trial

larlrtr ::fi ::e
l,pe 2 J frigate HMS

"&mer{:q

Similar in size to the previous

generation of lightweight torpedoes,
the MarconiStingray also has a
similar performance. Where it differs
rs in flre sophrs ticate d guid ance.
Specifi cation (provisional)
Stingray
Dimensions: diameter 324 mm
(12,75 in); lensth2.6 m(8.52 ft)

weiqht:265

ks (585.2 lb)

Warhead: 40-kg (BB-lb) shapedcharqe HE

Performance: speed 45 kts; range

1l I km(6,9miles;

system, ean be used satisfac-

:crily in both shallow and deep waters

',',ith an equally high single-shot kill
plobability, the former bernq demonslated recently during a development

"Txis!:l;

today, is designed to be ejected

through standard torpedo tubes.

ft"r"oni Stingray torpedo

Designed to supplement the Amencan

Mk 46 Mod 2 and to replace the Mk 44
torpedoes in British service, the Marconi Stingray lightweight torpedo was
the sequel of the abortive MOD inhouse lightweight Mk 30 and 31 proq-

,{i;Ji.ffi-

As offensive mines have to be haid

covertly, often in or near enemy
waters, the most appropriate system
for such work is the submarine.
Hence theTSM 3510, incommonwith
many other mines in production

Right: The new generation of

lightweight torpedo gives sigmificant
anti- su bm arine cap a bility to
r e latively u nsop his tic ate d sys tem s.
The Britten-Norman Defender

could

carry Stingray and could use its

sophisticated electronics to attack

the most advanced of submarines.

Dimensions:diameter

Specification
TSM3SIO

Dimensions: diameter0,53 m (1.74 ft);

length2.368 m(7,77 fI)
Weight:850 kq (1,874 lb)
Actuating sensors: combination
magnetic acoustic, magnetic pressure,
acoustic pressure, or magnetrc
acoustic pressure

1,20 m (3.94 rt)

lensth 1,10 m (3,61 ft)

Weisht: 1200 ks (2,646 lb)
Actuating sensors: combinarion
magnetic acoustic, maqnetic press':::
acoustic pressure. or magmetlc
acoustic pressure

Sfingrqg in Action
The phenomenal growth in the power of the Soviet navy in the past two decades has
nowhere been so prominent as in the development of the submarine. New
technologies applied to submarine and weapon design have provided a challenge
to NATO, and one of the most sophisticated of NATO's replies has been the
advanced lightweight S tingr ay torpedo

..-= advent of the high-speed deep-diving

-:-qra SSN and 'Papa' SSGN anechoic-coated

::::anne

classes at the begrnning of the 1970s

;:=sea:ed major problems to NATO ASW

;--:ers

rr lhat the standard lightweight torpeat the time, the Mk 44 Mod I and the
=t Mod 0/I/2, had totally inadequate homarC underwater performances to meet this

tr: es -n

l,k

r-rse

::;
::=a:

Although a modiflcation programme

e;entually initlated in an attempt to red:=ss -,re balance (on the seeker side at least)
--: :re Mk 46 under the trtle NEAR-Term Im:::;3rent Program (NEARTIP) it was later
::;e.'ed by several American admirals durlng
J.::-;essional testimony that the NEARTIP
:::-;erslon had only resulted in upgrading the
:,'.-=s

l"k

=6s io handle the pre-'A1pha'generation of

=:-::-ariaes coated with the same anecholc

l::--gls found on the newer boats.

-:- re mrdst of all this, and as a flnal result of

:-= :a:rcellation of the British Minrstry of De-

:=:-:= s Mk 3l 324-mm(12.75-in) callbre interim

-;:-r;eight torpedo project rn 1970, contracts
,-;=re pl.aced with Marconi for the design, de;=-:pment and initral production of an auton-

-:-:-rs acoustic-homing torpedo lnltially

as Naval Stalf Requirement 7511 or 'Son
':-:',".r:
-: l,k 3L', and finally as Stingray, As part of the
,-r lia-.ry's similar Advanced Lightweight Tor-

:=::

.ALWT) programme inrtrated in August

1975, the Stingray was evaluated for possible

US procurement. However, the Americans
found that although its new shaped-charge
warhead and advanced active/passive acoustic seeker with rntegral computer gave it an

unnvalled target detection and destruction

capabrlity in comparison with the Mk 46 Mod 5,

the Stingray was very much more expensive
and had only srmilar underwater speeds, maximum diving depth and endurance characteristics, which were prectsely the areas in which
the US Nairy was looking for marked improvements. It was also pointed out that a new-type
propulsron system rather than the electric-battery type fltted would probably resolve these
operational limitations,

Marconi's Stingray exhibits all the qualities of a

modernASWweapon, being lightenough to be
ttansported by small helicopters yet fast enough to
cope with the most modern nuclear submarines.

On surface ships the Stingray is launched

from the port and starboard 325-mm (12 75-in)
calibre triple torpedo tubes of the quick-reaction Ship's Torpedo Weapon System-2, which

RoyalNavyuse

is a second-generation development by a Brltish firm of the US Navy's Mk 32 torpedo-launcher unit and is integrated into the ship's Actron

Despite these American obsewations about

Stingray, the Royal Navy stuck with its choice
and ordered the weapon in significant quantities for use aboard its surface ships and helicopters. The Royal Air Force has also adopted
it for the main armament of its BAe Nimrod
MR Mk 2 maritime patrol aircraft, which can
each carry up to nine Stingrays in the internal
weapons bay. On Royal Navy helicopters the
load is usually one or two on a Westland Lynx
HAS Mk 2/3 and up to four on a Westland Sea
Krng HAS.Mk 2Al5

Information Organization (AIO) At present

STWS-Z rs fitted on certain 'lreander' class frigates, all batches of the 'T\7pe 22' class ASW
ships and some of the 'Type 42' class destroyers, In the future it will be fitted aboard the
new 'Type 23' 'Duke' class ASW frigates.
Under normal circumstances, in all shipboard cases the mode of operation is for the
STWS-2 microprocessor-based tracker and
prediclor systems to receive on an aulomalic

The MAD attack

as Nlmrod patrols ln rad o and rada r s lence, one of the crew eyebal s a
srrfaced submarine. mmedlate ya smoke flare ls dropped and the aircrafl
: icles the area of the now crash d ved boat at ow ieve and n r ght radius.
\lmrod sows act ve and pass ve buoys whlle ln the turn, and each crew
-ember sea rches the array of sensors for a fu rther s ghting

\.-

Passive buovs s molv \

isten forthe no se thatthe

Active buoys
are dropped arc

-:

with the passi\':

buots. They r
sqBBly.distan*

submar ne makes and

broadcast them to the
overflying Nimrod.
Receplion f rom twobuoys
Gn supply bearing

informatioftaaC

canlocateslle.:

information

submarines bv
tra.nsmrttrng

soundpulsesa-:

recording retu-:
reflected baci.,
the submafi.g

metalhu ls of
gearcarr ed in

havc a marked effec

aft boom ofthc overf y ng

thc

ocal Earth s mac

j. The effect ls ihard

field Dlstortionsofl
pronounced and

LS

ac

naturc dre detected bv

ind catlon ol a boal

Modern Underwater Weap ons

:=sis target data via an information channei
-::m the marn AIO unrt, These data are passed
.: the tracker, whrch then computes the

arget's current posrtron and drsplays the flre-

::ntrolled problem, The computed data

is also

-:assed into the predictor, which in turn computes the target's predrcted course and uses
.nis information (together with data on the
ship's own headrng, speed etc.) to generate
and drsplay the actual fire-controj solution that
cptimizes the probability of seeker acquisition
ior the weapon to be used, The ship's Principal
Warfare Officer (Underwater) can then use the
actron channel of the system to select and pre-

set launch details into the most appropriate

weapon of the six available to him in the tubes,
Once the launch point has been reached the
torpedo rs ejected from its tube on the rough
bearing to the target and retarded rn flight by a
smal1 droque parachute to ensure the correct
nose-flrst attitude for entering the water,

charge warhead is exploded by a dire:: :'-*-tact fuse so that all of the force of the i--: _:
directed rnto penetratrng the pressure :- ' -:-.

known to seduce earher torpedo types from

their search patterns, Once locked on to a validated target, Stingray is thus virtually impossible to shake off unless the submarine is fast
enough to outrun it (assuming that it has detected the noise ol the weapon homrng in),
The computer gnrides the torpedo to the optimum point on the target, where the shaped-

any depth the effect of the explosion ::- : : :- marine rs readily apparent, whrlst a: s:-.,,: .'.::
depth the damage should be more ::.-=. :-ficient either to cause the vessel to sin< i::: =:
(where a catastrophrc hull failure v.c : I . :- -:

The guidance system of

modern torpedoes is fragile
enough to require parachute
retardation when Launched
from fast-moving aircratt such
as the British Aetospace
Nimrod-

Search pattern commenced

Once the weapon has submerged, the parachute is drscarded and the weapon makes for
the target's predicted location to start its search
pattern. The onboard computer and the multibeam active/passive sonar enable the Stingray
to make its own tactical decisrons during an
engagement by anticipating a target's changes
ofcourse, speed and depth throughout analysls
of information it is receiving, The software is
also powerful enough to reject any countermeasures technrques such as towed noisemakers,
elected acoustic jammers or mobile decoys

:rat may be deployed by the target, It

tingr ay's on boar d c ompu ter

will have been fed target data

up until the moment of launch,
and uponentry to thewater

will discard the drogue

parachute and begin to seek
the targetwith its own sonar.

also

,lnores any extraneous background noise ol

re marrne envlronment, which has been

Sting Ray attack

Nimrodhaslocatedahosti csubmarneandhasstored

n i1s

computer factors reiatlng to its bearlng. track and depth nformation gained by ts arrayof sensors These
parametersareass gnedtothe St ng Ray mmediatelv
before its aunch and the torpedo enters thc water know ng
where to look for the target

:;,.:a:ai:t

Submarlne s rr.:i
EarlV

iffiA#ffi1

torpedo

:-:

SrngRaysr.e.i

Sting Rayrs acoustic

sensotsare much more
acute than those of
prevroustorpedoes and lts
initial search pattern can be
carred out much more
qulckly

Sting Rai's warhead

has a shaped charoe and
can inflict crippling damaqe
at vulnerab e points on ihe

submar ne's hul

Sting Ray's sensors :-:

adept at detectlnq

Sting Ray's computel

can eomnL JJe The iLrlLrre
position bf the target and
can calculate the best shoil

cut to meet t

i-"'"li::firffi'
exlsting, rather than ts
projected, posltlon; this

:?iJln:i;3?flJ?lvil:i

:-

outruns and outranges thc

o-P"do

submarnessa:inqcl.sa::
-':'.'ii the sea b,-d where rar:cluttercan rnhiblt no'-:
ll deteolnn

:
t

Strngrray in

Action

:: :::---. :- -:-: CreSS-_te, CI iC fOfCe t: iO COme

.: :: s--t-'1ta -r,-.1erc :ne shtp s other weapons
i

--

^.*

_-

:,it:r:ie

-:- -:-3

lau:rch application the initral

rs usually dependent on

r:-3 t,-::- :- :re :arget

:--,:-3t

--:-=

::cs: platJorm's sensors (such as pas

:-'.==:--.-: scnobuoys and active drpping

'.-+c:orrng

so-

:.': .: .:+
in ol the plariorm via in-::::-t_::- ierived from external sources such
-: I s::c s :owed-array or active sonar sets.
--:-:_ ::r!fe: localization is usually effected by a
:--;:l:::.. anomaly detection (MAD) system
--: - --:e permits the markrng of the weapon
l:'. t:---in point by a smoke or flare pot, Once
-:-= sc:: rs identified a parachute:retarded

S---;=,.- -s released to enter the water, Once

-.-.::-=:ged it starts on a preprogrammed

:=1:::r Da:iern designed to optimize the

r:-::-:=s oiacqurring the target, When acquist-:- .ias :aken place, the ability of Stingray,s

r-:-:r.:r :c anticipate the target's movements

r::-:s jt:o its own by effectively minimizing
_:_: ,

r--

':-e spent on rnanoeuvrinq after the tarqet

:ivrng rrsella greater chance to close
:--. t: during the battery's lifetime of some

l -:. i

r: r
--:::

::lllUies OI SO,

Little combat use

-r--:::"gh fully operational weapons were
=.::.- south by several ships during the

1g82

:...ra::is war no Stingrays were flred in an;=: 3:ry the Mk 46 Mod 2 was used under
l:r:-.1: ccnditions, the first being dropped on
- - -:-pr-i 1982 by HMSBnlIant's Lynx HAS Mk 2
,: S:::h Georgia during the combtned helir: ; .:: 3perations against the surfaced Argen-

--:-: s-tbrnarine Sanla Fe bv a Westland

Wesi+... .--:.S Mk 3 equrpped wirh depth charges,
and several Westland Wasp HAS.Mk

,:= '-,,:t-x
,=i -with AS, 12 wire-quided
: :: ..=T r\4k 46s were dropp-ed by missiles
Sea King

-::p:ers and others were fired-from ships

:--,'.S-- systems during a number of sub-__

tv;

B.

v \p'

Sr+*
tr:=g

:r:

'a

marlne scares througrhout the war, but as far as

can be ascertained these torpedoes hit nothino
save a frigates Type 182 Lowed noisemakei
decoy on one occasion and, if the reports are to
be believed, several unfortunate whales which
just happened to be in the wrong place at the
wrong time. lf Stingrays had been used instead
ol lhe Mk 46s, practically all lhese ,false target
hrts would not have occurred and the Santa-Fe
would have certainly added considerable torpedo damage to its hst of woes infltcted bv the

hehcopters; she may possibly not have

reached the safety of Grytviken harbour.

For the future rs tikely that the American
suggestion for engining Stingray wrth a new
propulsion plant (to tncrease lts maximum
underwater speed to match that of the new
Soviet submarine classes) wrll be followed
However, like all defence malrers todav thrs
will depend on whether or not the cash can be

Stingray undergoe.s fesfs af fhe n ew pro,Tuction

line built by Marconi for the project.-The cost of the

programme has been considerably more than first
estimated; staying in the van of advanced weapon
technology is not cheap.

fo.und to do

ii and (now more important)

whelher or not lhere is the political wrll to

implement such modification as hiqher-cost
projecis cream off avarlable financill asseLs.
Failing such a development, Stingray wrll

probably end up as yet another Brrtish success

story ior the orher side,
A_Stingray is launched from a frigate of the Royal

..Although primarily an air-launched weapon,

Kingfisher system has been developed to iltow
tube launch fromsurface yesseis. -

Navy,-

the

Modern Underwater Weapons

Marconi Mk 24 Tigerfish torpedo

-:-e origins of the Mk 24 Tigerfish
---:avyweight torpedo saga can be
:-:d as far back as 1959 in a British
:rcedo project codenamed 'Ongar'.
:_.- 1970 it was

realized that the technol-

:1v rnvolved could not be handled

-,1ely by an rn-house servrce

=pproach, so the then Marconi Com:.ry was given the job of developing
:e weapon from 1972 onwards, Thrs
-,';as flve years after the oriqinally en-.-agred in-servrce date. As a result of
ieveiopment and engdneering prob:ms the flrst verslon of the Tigerfish
.re Mk 24 Mod 0, entered fleet servrce
-r 1974 with less operational capability
-ran originally desired, It was only
granted its full Fleet Weapon Acceptance certificate in 1979 after pro-

iracted evaluation,
To rectlfy the problems Marconi inrtrated development of a product-improved version, the Mk 24 Mod I, during 1972 but this also encountered
technical problems and flnally entered
limited service in mid-1978. By i98l
sufhcrent update kits were available to
upgnade all the earlter Mod

weapons

to this standard, Designed for submarine use against submerged (Mod 0

and 1) and surface (Mod 1) tarqets, the

dual-speed electric-powered
Tigerfish

is gmided in its initral stage

by

wire dispensed from both the sub-

marine and the torpedo itself, using

Cata denved from the launch platcnn's passive sonar sets, The roll-sta-

ffi
l:signed

bilized (by retractable mid-body stub

wings) torpedo

is gnrided rn this fashion

up to the point where its own three-

dimensional aclive/passive sonar

seeker head and computer can take
over for the attack on the tarqet, At
present only the Royal and Brazilian
navies use the Tigerfish, A further
proqramme is under wdy lo examlne

The end result of an unbelievably protracted development programme, the

Tigertishwire-guidedheavyweighttorpedo is a developmentof the Mk 24
torpedo, having a maximum speed variously estimated at 35 or 50 kts and a
maximum r ange at low s peed of s ome 2 I km ( I 3 miles ).

possible enhancements to the

wedpon s capabrhtres wrth a vrew to

countering the new qeneration of

Soviet nuclear submannes.

Specification
Mk 24 Tigerfish
Dimensions: drameter 533 mm (21 in);
lenqrth 6.464 m (21.2 ft)
Weisht: 1547 kq (3,410 lb)
Warhead: 134-kg (295-lb) HE
Performarce: speed 24 or 35 kts;
range 2i or 13 lcn (13.05 or B,0B miles)

TheTigerfishis propelled by a twospeed electric motor driving a pair of

conta-rotating propellers designed
for high efficiency and low noise
production. T he I 34- kg (29 5- Ib)
high- e x plos ive w arhe ad c an be
detonated by contact or by proximity

fusing.

ft"r"oni Spearfish torpedo

to meet Naval Staff Requtre-

::,:nt 7525, the Marconi Spearfish is an

- r; anced-capabilities wire-guided

:-al-role (ASWanti-ship) heavy:';:.rht torpedo, It will be able to en:-pe the new generation of Soviet
,,;:-speed deep-submergence

sub-

using a new HAP-Otto fuel,-,-:red Sundstrand 2lTP01 qas tur: -=-:res

: = :ngrne with a pump-jet outlet to

-:;e speeds rn excess of 60 kts (up

-<s on trials), The warhead is of
. - -r-lected-energry
shaped-charge
=
- :=
is capable of penetrating the
--i
.'=,. S:viet developments in sub:

---.: io',,rble-hull construction which

:=,::rd

aboard the 'Oscar' SSGN

,, - --.::oon' SSBN classes. To ensure
':- := r,3apon actually contacts the
,'
l= : :-'-lllhe lnstalled gnridance sys:

--.

- j:s ::chriology developed origi. - ; -:: -:: Strngnay lightwetght tor-

:zds

Externallyvery similar tothe Mk24 Tigerfishwire-guided torpedo that itwilleventually replace, the Marcon

Spearfish is radically ditferent internally

pedo project, The computer will enable the torpedo to make its own tacttcal decisrons during an enqagtement,
optimizrng the homing modes available to the underwater environment
encountered and to the target's use of
decoys and manoeuwing patterns.

Work on the development pro-

totypes began in

1982, the first

in-water

trials taking place in the following

year, Production deliveries are believed to be due in

1987,

with oper-

ational capability scheduled for

19BB-9,

and has a considerably enhanced performance.

Specifi cation (provisional)

Spearfish
Dimensions: diameter 533 mm (21 in);
lensth B.5 m (27.9 ft)

weisht:

1996

ks (4,400 lb)

Warhead: 249-kg (550-]b) HE

Performance: speed 24 or 60 ks;
range 46,25 or 28.6 km (28.75 or 17.75
miles)

SWEDEN

FFV Tp42 series torpedoes

-:,;::-ai1y rntended

as the successor to

-,: i-:,,.al Swedrsh narry's Tp4l, the

Tl-{2 the base model of a whole

.=:,=s =
:i hghtweight 400-mm ( 15.75-in)
.::p:i:es burlt by FFV for the home

:,--<:: ald
=-

for export. The basic mod-

-:-= Tp422,

:::

entered service in mid-

a:ld rs intended primarily for

-lS-,',- :-oeratrons from the nary's small

:: Bcerngr-Vertol 107 helicopters.

-:::.
-

-::rtque amongst western light,'i:-j::-.reapons in that rt is capable of

',';:: ;rrdance after an airlaunched

r:' -,'..j'

The terminal attack phase is

::::-ed cut by a passive sonar system.
l::p-isron ts by an electric battery of
s-.,-er-zinc type whilst the war:-=:d'. fitteci with both proxtmity and
:::-.ai iJses, The torpedo can be set
,: :*:: at one of fivo speeds whtch are
::---qeable after launch either via the
j l:. Je -.41re Jr as an instruclion pre'

:-:

::::r:rnmed
inio the seeker unit. A
the Tp423, is beheved
-.::.- model, for
launch from surface
: :: ,::tended

.--;s ard submarines

against sub:,=::,: :r ship taJgets. The export vers::- :- .lre IP42U423 rs known as the
Tp427 and has rnternal/Stutdance
::-,;es -,vhich effectively introduce
r-:::::: sonar and proximity fuse fre--:r.r.:S -n order not to compromise
j-;= :,-s: r-a-!ry settings.

:- -334 the Swedish narry initiated a

::: ' ::: r:rptovement programme that
,--.. ::sjed in the Tp432, which is due
.: ::-::r productron tn

1987,

This is de-

:-=::=tr :c use new digital mtcro-

!::l:ss:r guidance unrts and is oPti::,:=i:: attack the new generation of

: .'.--:- l: :.ventlonal submarines oper-

atlnq in the quiet state in shallow waters. A new three-speed selectable

propulsion system and increased qnridance wire capacity have imProved
the maxrmum range of the weapon, at
the slowest speed, by 33 Per cent in
comparison with the earlier Tp42 models. The equrvalenl export version IS
desigrnated Tp43XO andwillbe able to
use alternative propulsion systems if

required. The lightest of the whole

Tp432/43XO family will be the helicop-

ter-launched variant which weighs

280kq (6171b), and because it has a

smaller battery capacity this wlll have
a maximum range in the order of 1520km (9.3-12,4 miles) at the slowest
speed settinq,

Above: The Type 42 range of

lightweight 400-mm ( I 5.75 -in)
torpedoes is the only air-launched
torpedo known to be wire-guided. I t
can be controlled by a hovering or
cruising helicopter, although a
variant has been designed for
surface or submarine use. The Wpe
427 exportversion is illustrated.

Below: The advantage of lightweight

torpedoes is that they can give a

significant anti-submarine capability

to the smallest of helicopters. The

Type 422 has been launched from the
Swedish navy's A8-406 helicopter s,

although the W I 07 (licence-built

Boeing-VertolCH-46) is the usual
platform.

Specification
Tp422/427

Dimensions: diameter 400 mm

(15.75 in); lengrth 2,44 m (8,00 ft), or

2,60 m (8,53 ft) with wire gnridance

section
Weight: 298 kq (657 lb)
Warhead: 45-ks (99-1b) HE
Performance: speed 15 or 25 kts;
range 20 or 10 kn (12,43 or 6,21miles)

Specification
Tp43?43XO
Dimensions: diameter 400 mm
(15,75 in); lenqth 2.60 m (8.53 ft), or
2,BS m (9,35 ft) withwire guidance
section
Weight: 2BO to 350 kq (617 to 772 1b)
Warhead: 45'ks (99-lb) HE
Performance: speed 15, 25 or 35 Ks;
range 30, 20 or 10 km (18, 64, 12,43 or
6,21miles)

SWEDEN

FFV TpG I series torpedoes

[Jn]ike most modern heavyweight torpedoes, the FFV Tp61 is not powered electrically but by a hydrogen-percxidel
ethanoldrivenengrtne. Sucfi systems aremoreunstable thanbattery power, butof much higherperformance.

lJj;*.sr+1*,S'... -:::]lr*'-;t"

lionvay

is

in the process of acquiring

';e :mpr oved Tp6 1 3 torpedo in Place

oiihe lp5'l already operated.The

:e'r' weapon will probably equip the

'7-'pe 2A7' submarines suchas
-J::;.-':g. seen he re, as well as the new
'l;pe ? r' 5' class which will enter
!s:i -:E:r iire J990s.

Modern Undenvater Weapons

Tp6l series torpedoes (continued)

FFV

-liernal software changes to give so-

:ar and pro:omity

fuse settings diffe-

:ent from Swedish ones. Each Tp6l

series torpedo can be left in its tube for

:p to four months wilhout

requiring

:verhaul,

Specification
1b6r
Dimersions: diameter 533 mm (21 in);
-ength 7.025 m (23,05 ft)
Weisht: 1796 kg (3,959 ]b) or (Tp613)
-E50 kg (4,078 Ib)
Warhead: 250-kg (551-]b) HE
Performarce: speed 45 kts; range
20 kn (1.43 miles) or (TpO 13) 30 km
ilB,64 miles)
Snar, a 'Snogtg' class fast attack craft,
is fittedwilhfour 533-mm(2f -in)

torpedo tubes in addition to Penguin

anti-ship missiles. The torpedo and
the missile have similar ranges and
although tfie missrTe ri m uch faster
the torpedo does not appear on an7

radar screen.

tfir. sz torpedo

The origrinal Westinghouse Mk 37 Mod

0 heavyrnreight torpedo entered ser-nce

in 1956 as a submarine- and sur:ace ship-launched ASW acousticroming free-runninq torpedo. Fitted

;rith studs along its sides, the 482,6-mm

i19-in) calibre Mk 37 can be fired from

siandard 533-mm (21-in) torpedo

::bes, As operational experience built

':p with the weapon, many Mod 0 torpedoes were refurbished and mod'-ed to bringthemup to the Mk 37Mod
3

standard, Althouqh useful in the ASW

::le these free-runninq weapons,

r,-:ich could dive to 300 m (985 ft),
Tere not suited to really lonqr sonar

r:tection ranges as during the torpef : s lxr to a predicted target location it

.r-

possible that the target could perevasive manoeuwes taking it out

::-:e 640 m (2,100-ft) acquisition range

::r:

:, -:e

weapon's seeker head. Thus

r-:: gudance was fitted to the Mk 37

r: ::cduce the Mk 37 Mod I version,
r';:r entered sewice in 1962 aboard

per cent increase in endurance and a

100 per cent rncrease in seeker detection range rn comparison with the original Mk 37 models. At least 16 counLries are known to use the various versrons of the Mk 37 family including the
above, plus West Germany, SPatn,

Argrentina and the Netherlands

Specification
Mk37
Dimensions: diameter 484,6 mm
in); lenqrth (Mod 0 and 3) 3.52 m
(11,55 ft) or (Mod l and 2) 4.09 m

( 19

(13,42 ft)

Weight: (Mod 0 and 3) 649 ks (1,430 lb)

or (Mod 1 and 2) 767 kq ( 1,690 Ib)
Warhead: 150-kq (330-lb) HE
Performance: speed 16 or 24 kts
range (Mod 0 and 3) 16.5 or 7,3 km
(I0,25or4,5miles), or(Mod I and2)
8.7 kn (5.4 miles)

Specification
NT37E

.:-:-:::can submarines, This was fol-:;n:i by the updated Mk 37 Mod 2

:::-;ersion of Mod i weapons,

Dimensions: diameter 484,6 mm

:-=-:-e-launched ASW torpedo for

(Mod3)640 kq(1,412 lb)

Warhead: 150-kq (3301b) HE
Performance: speed 22,4 or 33,6 kts;
range (Mod 2) 21.7 km (13,5 miles) or
(Mod3) 18,3 km (1 1,4 miles)

-r*:::grh the standard

rrl:=

:l;

US Navy sub-

years, the Mk 37 is now found

i:oard the diesel-electnc boat
23

--i-: l::1er.
-l.i::-r- rave been converted to Mk 67

:-:::r:re-launched mobile mine

r:;L r.lilst others have been put

lr:

rl:: najor

upgrradrng progrrammes
:--i::: =le to other countries. The first
id-: ::- a'icat1on, in the mid- 1970s, re-

ii"L"lr:: -:-

re

Northrop NT37C, which

rrtr-t:,::::es a new thermo-chemrcal

r::i--E::

!:

system based on that of the

::-tr has an antr-ship capability

r:rr:r. l:e NT37C ts known to be in

lr,'i:l

m:-;l:- r--:- Canada

and Israel aboard

5,nn ::::::-rrne fleets. In 1979 Hon* ''u=- -=:l.rred the riQthts to the
liTill =-: ai the request of several
trd I - l.t :- '.:sers further developed
:E ili,=:':: :c the Honeywell NT37E
Jt-"ll]rrlilj rr::ci allows the fitting of
rlu l,a-f':
=::-:lonal kitS tO produCe
WT:E l$od 2 and 1fI37E Mod 3 conirqinrir:s :: -:: i:asic Mk 37 variants, In

$rir-:5i -=:::: iese new variants dis-

IJ,i

i . .- !: :eirt mcrease

il :+: :-::

in speed, a

i-crease rn range, an

B0

(19 in); lensth(Mod2)4.506 m(14.78 ft)

or (Mod 3) 3,946 m (i2.62 ft)
Weisht: (Mod 2) 748 ks ( 1,650 Ib) or

Above: Dutch seamen man@uwe

the long, heavy bulk of a NATO
standard NT37 totpedo into one af
the Iorward tubes of a'Dolfijn' class
submarine. T he oigi'inal M k 37
enteredsewice rn tfie J9,50s. but
pr ogres sive modifications b1;
Westinghouse and Northrop hare
to
u pgir a d e d th e w e a pon' s cawh ii:
an enormous extent.

"ft

NucleqrWeapons cf Sea
| :. e proliferation of nuclear weaponry has seen widespread
of nuclear anti-ship and anti-submarine
=eployment
'",,'eaponry
atsea. Sucft are the defences of a modern Carrier
I a::ie Group that a nuclear attack may be the only feasible
::.einod of attack, and the temptation to use a nuclear weapon
:: a;srupf a submarine attack could well prove irresistible.

--:. :: sJrprs ng to some that in any future war between NATO and the
.-.'.. ract the f-rrst use of tactical weapons with low kiloton yields will
-: -: ::cJr at sea as an inteqral part of a fiercely{ought ASW battle for the
- -- - - .'i c and ts surroundinq sea areas. Although a large number of the
-::::rs contribute naval forces to NATO's Atlantic command structure,
--l
- - = , ('s Royal
Alr Force and Royal Navy, the Royal Netherlands air force
- : .y
- S \avy are f ulLy trained in the operational use of the 5/'10-klloton eld
=
:- ---=z'
depthbomb.
^ . -=..'... colitrcal move the Dutch have made the decision to withdraw the
:- -=::: i,7 from thetr Lockheed Orion force, each of whose '13 P-3Cs can
:--. ...: SJCn bombs.
- :^: '- (:ne B57 bombs are held in nuclear weapon stores {or wartime use
^: :-: s'our squadrons and an OCU flying 31 BAe Nlmrod MR.Mk 2s {two
--:::ial and the Royal Navy's seven front-line and trarning sqrtadrons
: :: r . rn 64 ASW and 22 tra nrng Westland Sea King HAS M k 2Al5s (one
'- . .=.^ ine Sea Kings plus the thlee f ront-line and tralning squadrons with
- :, . r-: -)n pd10' 1 tralningWestland Lynx dAS.M<2 3s(onebombeach)
-::
,

:.

r ', ieillnlng number of Westland Wasp HAS.Mk

, -:: .^:

1s (one bomb each)

sr-nallerl-klloton yteld variant of the UK's own indigenous tactical

:v bomb, the Green Parrot.

::' r':.
^'
ASW del very platforms are the 24 active and
= .' - S Navy aerial nuclear
'--:-.:
(nine aircraft each) of Lockheed P-3 Orions. These are
s:radrons
-i
.:r:.
carrer and one shore-based squadrons ('10 aircraft each) of
(one bomb each) ASW lets, and 12 carrrer and two
-'=-==: .-i-3A Vlking
(slx
Sea King (one bomb each)

:r

alrcraft each) of Sikorsky SH-3H

-=--r'cns
:::ters. The

replacement for the Sea Klng, the Sikorsky SH-608

to carry the B57 or its successor

.... . :iso tasked

l, -rciear ASW

-::.-: \,+TO surface sh ps nuclear ASW weaponry is llmited solely to US

:--:,.:- :s.',vh ch are equipped to carry and fire the EUR-5A ASROC missile
'
:-e 1.5-k loton yleid W44 warhead in a Mk 17 nuclear depth charge
- ,.-: .^l.:r 65 frigates, TB destroyers and 27 cruisers have been made
- . =,: -.:zi,e with ihls weapon system. ln the long term the RUR-5A ls to be
-: : -:: :. :ie Vert ca Launch ASROC, which has a much longer engagement
'.,- -:::'d submarines the Mk 45 ASTOR wire-guided anti-ship torpedo
,i. -,--'.'<.''34 warhead) has been completely replaced by the conventonalleaving the UUM-44A SUBROC underwater-launched missile
:--;-:r
-- : ..5548,iow-yield
warhead as the only tactlcal ASW nuclear weapon

ABritish AerospaceNl'mrodsefs out from its base atKinloss on the first leg of
oneof its longNorthAtlantic patrols.TheNimrods are equipped to carry two
5-10 ktyieldB-57 weapons, butwould only be so armed if the threat of war
was overwhelming.

to American submarines. Some 50 nuclear attack submarines are

currently equipped to carry and launch this obsolescent weapon, but the numbers are declining slowly as non-com patible digital f ire-control systems are f itted
in place of the earlier analog systems; cruise mrssiles are thus being carried
instead of SUBROCs. A new lonq-range ASW Stand-Off Weapon is under
development for submarine use in the late'1 9BOs. Contrary to some reports
about the Royal Navy, no other NATO navy uses either shrp- or submarineavailable

launched n uclear warhead-equipped ASW weapons of the types iust described.

ln a similar way only the Soviet navy amongst the navies of the Warsaw Pact
has been equipped with any nuclear ASW weapons: since the 1950s a wide
variety of tactical nuclear delivery systems has been developed for all operational branches of the Sovret navy. For aircraft use a 10/'1 s-kiloton yield nuclear
depth bomb is carried by the Soviet naval air force's force of 55 TupolevTu-'142
'Bear-F' (two bombs each) long-range, 50 llyush n l1-38 'May' (two bombs each)
In October 198I the Soviet navy suffered the embarrassment of a'Whiskey'
class submarine being lefthigh and drywhile on aclandestine missioninto
Swedish waters. Radiation monitors detected nuclear weapons aboard the
vessel, most probably as the warheads of torpedoes.

E*Atry;l{'ja{.i;
%= ..
.r*,.,,::_

d."l!%l.

.,

...:,.#$#ry

,$1

" _,-,

;.4.

lne main US nuclear delivery platform at sea is the force of more than 400 p-3
3nons equipping 37 front-line and reserve squadrons of the uS Navy. This is
:e latestversion, theP-3C Updatelll, seen over the'Oliver Hazard Perry'
:.ass fnErale USS Mahlon

S.

An ASROC missile is launched from the guided missile {rigate USS !::.:,::
(F!G-l). Only theUS Navy operates nuclear-tipped ASROC. wjth r.c:= ::::.
170 s.urfac-e-combatants capable of firing the single-kiloton depth c:.a:;:
version of the missile.

Tisdale.

--.:,,um-range and 90-odd Benev M-1 2'Mail'(one

bomb each) short-range
-: ,V aircraft, together wirh a fairly large proporr on of the g0 lvlil lVi-14 'Haze-A'
--: bomb each), 120 Kamov Ka-25'Hormone-A'(one bomb each) and 50 plus
' ."cv Ka-27 'Helix-A' (one bomb each) ASW helicoprers available. The 'Hor,res'and'Helixes'are used both from shore bases and afloat on aviation
.- :s, cruisers and destroyers.

as October 1981, with the fiasco of the Sovret 'Wh skey .:s: :_- ._- _-.
subrrar.ne aground on rocks n restricred Swed.sn Co3>ro ..: :.r
:
by rao al on-mor-itoring tech^iqJes tnal lne bodt nao s_c- t. . a-. . -. - shows the widespread use of these weapons in the So, -..
-_ :.
_
to'pedoes a^d to provde a long-rarqe ASW weapo^ r' : r:.==. :
.
aboard severa of their nuclear attack and cruise mrssile sJC-:. -:: - - : _.
, .1970s their own version of the SUBROC, desiqnated SS-l'i-- a :. '. -"o- standard 533-m- {21-;nr catibre torpeoo-rubes ric ):.'
.
and bearing data denved from the launch platform's o\..",i >:--.-. _ ,- : :
l5-ki oton yielo nuc,ear depth bon b to the ,rrmediare . c - .. - l^ aodilon ro lnese nlc'eaTweapons, botr- s des co_.0 - -:l -- .
Tes,oecl ve straLeg c rCBV fo.ces 'or I mited n,moe.> :. . . ^-: ... vrelo weapons to santt ze large o.ean areas o, a'l u-o i\..:.. - .:
:
option would, however, only be used in a full-scale war,';. -__- . ,. _ . l
would also destroy any friendly units in the area.
.

"

Surface weapons

-:r surface ship use only the 'Kiev' and 'Moskva' class aviation shtps use an
-::OC type weapon, the SUW-N-I system with its FRAS-1 rocket equrpped
depth charge. Other surface ships use the SS-N-'T 4'Silex'ASW
". .s^ aie,nuciear
which has a homrng torpedo with conventionalwarhead as tts payload.

^ ccntrast the Soviet submarine force is well endowed with tactical nuclear
::3ons. Leaving aside cruise and ballistic misstles, most convent onal and\
---:ar submarines tnclude as part of their torpedo outfit some two to four
:::-nm (21-in) calibre antr-ship torpedoes equipped with 1S-kiioton yield nuc-

-.' .varheads; these torpedoes

can also be used ln the area-targetASW role. ln

A Kamov Ka-25 'Hormone' moves along the bows of the Soviet h.e,:cc:::: .i.crur'ser Moskva. The helicopter is probabty capable of carrying; r,, --..:;.depth bomb, and the cruiser fires the nuclear FRAS- I rocket. -

'. -. JSI such a torpedo was the fjrst Sovlet naval nuclear weapon tasked, in the
-':-'950sandearlyl960s,withtheantt-carrierandanti-portroles.Asrecently

*e.3**'.:;"

jg*.-=.**-J

t..

i'

USA

Mk 44, Mk 46 and Mk 50 torpedoes

now been given the desrenation Mk

The Mk 44 Mod 0lightweight torpedo

was selected for production in 1956
and in the following year became the

Barracuda following a competitive

evaluation, Frtted with a directed-

payload for the new ASROC ASW missile as well as the standard US Narry
ship- and air-launched lightwetght torpedo. The weapon is electrically powered and urrlizes a seawater-activated battery and an active-hominqt
seeker with a detection ranqe of 585 m
(1,920ft). A slightly modified version,
the Mk 44 Mod I, was produced at a

600 m/1,970 ft). It

latter date, and this model differed

only in internal details, Several countries procured the weapon, but most
have now replaced it with the Mk 46
although some like the UK have kept
stocks because of the Mk 44's better
shallow-water performance than its
successor, The US Nalry replaced it
completely from 1967 onwards by the

Mk

46.

The active/passive acoustic-homing

Mk 46 progrramme began in i960, the

first production rounds of the air{aunched Mk 46 Mod 0 variant being delivered in 1963, The new torpedo

achieved twice the ranqe of the Mk 44,

could dive deeper (460 rnll 500 ft versus 300 m/984 ft) and was 50 per cent
faster (45 kts versus 30 kts) because of
the use of a new type of propulsive
system, In the Mod 0 this was a solidfuel motor, but as a result of maintenance difficulties 1t had to be chanqed

lo the Otto-fuelled thermo-chemical

cam engine in the follow-on Mk 46
Mod I (which flrst enteled servtce In
1967

for use in ASROC, surface shiP

and some arrborne launchinq Pur-

poses) and the Mk 46 Mod 2 that flrst

appeared in 1972. There was no Mod
3, so the nexl vanant to see service was
the Mk 46 Mod 4 intended specifically
for use as the payload for Mk 60 CAP-

TOR mines. However, because of

Soviet submarine developments (primarily in the area ofanechoic hull coat
inqs to deqrade actlve sonar acoustic
transmissions) the US Nalry had to develop a modfrcation kit with new gnridance and control untts, engtne rm-

provements and an enhanced sonar

transducer to restore the 33 per cent
loss in the 550-m (1,800-ft) detection
range suffered by Mk 46s when encountering such coattngs. Known by
the title NEARTIP (NEAR-Term Im-

provement Program), the Mk 46 Mod 5

is being procured both as new-build
weapons and as convetsions of the
earlier Mod I and Mod 2 weaPons,
Apart from the US Naqr, other users
of the Mk 46 include Australia, Brazil,
Canada, France, Greece, Indonesia,
lran, Israel, Italy, Morocco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Saudi
Arabia, Spain, Turkey, Taiwan, the UK
and West Germany. The Mk 46 was
used operationally by the Royal Navy
on a number of occasions during the

Falklands war with inconclusive results, although the threat of Mk 46s did
help in the damaginq and subsequent
groundinq of the Arqentine submarine

Santa fe off South Georgia.

The replacement for the Mk 46 in US

Navy service rs the Advanced Light-

weight Torpedo (ALWT), which has

The Israeli navy is one ofseveral that
have acquiredMk46 torpedoes, and
some of the 36 'Dabur' class coastal
patrol craftoperating in the
Mediter r anen and the R e d S ea hav e
been equipped with a Pair of single
fubes.
2638

50

energy shaped-charge warhead, the

Mk 50 is rougrhly the same size and
weiqht as the Mk 46 but will be faster at
55+ kts and be able to dive deeper (to

will also have a new

stored chemical-energy propulsion

More than 9,000 Mk 46 lightweight torpedoes have been produced by

Honeryellfar servicewilh theUS Navy and the navalforces of more than 20
other countries.ltis launchedfrom the air, the surface andbyASROC.

system with a closed-cycle steam turbine in conjunction with a pump-jet

arrangement An onboard computer
and advanced actlve.passlve sonar
will give the weapon 'smart' capabilitres similar to those of the British Strngray. An in-service date of 1990 is antici
pated.

Specification
Mk44
Dimensions: diameter 324 mm
(12,75 in); lensth (Mod 0) 2,54 m
(8.33 ft) or (Mod 1) 2,57 m (B 44 ft)
Weisht: (Mod 0) 192,8 ks (425 lb) or

(Mod 1) 196.4 kq(433 lb)

Warhead: (Mod 0) 34-ks (751b) HE or
(Mod 1) 33. l-kq (73-lb) HE
Performance: speed 30 kts; range
5.5 km (3,4 miles)

Specification
Mk46
Dimensions: diameter324 mm
(12,75 in); lensth2 6 m(8,5 ft)
Weight: (Mod 0) 257,6 kq (568 lb) or
(Mod I 2, 4and5) 230,4 kg (508 lb)
Warhead:43. 1-kq (95-lb) HE
Performance: speed 40/45 kts; ranqe
1 I km (6.B miles) at 15-m (50-ft) depth
or 5,5 km (3.4 miles) at 457-m ( 1,500-ft)

depth
Specifi cation (provisional)
Mk 50 Barracuda
Dimensions: diameter 324 mm
(12.75 in); length2,9 m(9,5 ft)
Weight: 362,9 kq (800 Ib)
Warhead: 45. 4-kq ( t00-lb) shapedcharge HE
Performance: speed 55+ kts; range
13.7 km (8.5 miles)

Above : The development of the

dedic ate d an ti- s ub m ar ine helico p te r,
tog e ther with the lightweig h t
acoustic homing torpedo, has
immensely extended ASW radius.
This Mk46 torpedo, dropped by an
SH-3ASeaKing, is deploying a
parachute to retard its speed.
Right: A Mk 46 torpedo is launched
one of the triple torpedo tubes
fitted to all of the cruisers, destroyers
and frigates of the US Navy.

from

ffit +a torpedo

Modern Underwater WeaPons

-:-e Mk 48 heavwveight torpedo ts the

-::est in a long line of US Nalry 533-mm

2,-in) calibre submarine-launched

r,-eapons. As a long-ranqie selectable-

-.peed wire-gnrided dual-role (ASW

:::trship) weapon it replaced both the

l,k

j:

37 series vl'ue-gnrided ASW torpe-

and the US Navy's only nuclear

-rned torpedo, the anti-shrP Mk 45
-ISTOR fitted with a lo-krloton 1'reld
-,1r34

warhead, Development of the Mk

-3 began in 1957 when feasibility stuies were initiated to meet an oper:-ronal requirement eventually tssued
:. late 1960. The weapon was intended
both a surface- and submarine-iaul-:red
torpedo, but the {ormer reqlxre:rent was dropped when swface-laun-

:red weapons went

out of favour,

Ttio

-;ersions were produced to meet the

:angre and speed performance figrLues
:-eeded to enQlage a 35-kt submerged
:rget: the Westinghouse Mk 48 Mod
0 which used a gras turbine and was
s:bsequently refined to the proposed
::oduction Mk 48 Mod 2 variant, and
:-e Gould Mk 48 Mod I which used an

l:to-fuelled piston (swashplate)

en-

;:re and a redesigned acoustic-hom:-E system. The latter was chosen for
::-ass production, operational capabll-

--; being achieved in

1972.

The next version to be built was the

TheMk4S torpedois carriedby allUS attackand ballisticmissile submarines, acontinual process of development
having enhaiced its performance in line with that of Soviet submarines in the past 15 years.

Mk 48 Mod 3, which had the

same
762-m (2,500-ft) depth capability as the
Mod I but introduced a new two-way

TELECOM (rather than one-waY)

wire-guidance communication link

that allowed the torpedo head to trans-

mit its search data back to the launch

plalform for more accurale processing

io produce what was tn effect a track-

via-torpedo gnridance mode,

The latest production standard (to
which most previous weapons are
being upgraded) is the Mk 48 Mod 4
Thrs has the same TELECOM facilities
of the Mod 3, enhanced sPeed (to

55kts) and depth (to 9l5m/3,000f0

capabilities, plus an additional fireand-forget mode which can be initiated if the torpedo's own noise masks
the launch submattne's passive sonar

detection sets.

By 1978, because of an increastng

awareness of the latest Soviet sub-

decade: these developments rncluce

speed and divinq depth, an ADvanced

CAPability (ADCAP) version of the Mk
48, the Mk 48 Mod 5, entered develop-

depth and a hrgher ta-rget speeo =-.

gagement envelope. The operar::.'
date for the first ADCAP Mk 48 Mc::
is expected to be 1986. Foreigm .-.'=::
of the Mk 48 are limited to ALLt=' :
and the Netherlands.

marine capabilities in the area of

ment, A new higher-powered sonar

was fltted both to improve the tarqet

acquisition range from the curent

3660m (12,000ft) and to reduce the

improved antrship homrngt featurEs

an even greater maxtmum dir'::,::

effect of enemy decoys and anechotc

Specification

steered to decrease the need for the

torpedo to manoeuvre in the search
phase. Togrether with a larger fuel
load, this gives the new vanant a longer ranqe (using the same propulsion
system) and a new under-ice capability, Further modifications are at present being researched to gdve an Upgrraded ADCAP weapon for the next

Dimensions: diameter 533 mm

lenqth 5,8 m (19, 17 ft)

coatinqs. The sonar is electrically

Mk48
Weisht:

1579

(2

ks (3,480 lb)

Warhead: 294.5-kq (650-lb) HE

Performance: speed (Mod 1 alc:.
48 kts. (Mod 4) 55 krs or (Mod 5; : - .::
rangre (Mod I and 3) 32 kn (20 r-es.
(Mod 4) 28 km ( 17 5 milest or i M: i :
38 lrn (23,75 miles)

Above: Crewmen aboard the

'Sturgeon' class nuclear attack

submarjne USS P ar go car efu lly
receive a Mk 48 Mod I torPedo into
the torpedo room. Most canent

.American SS,lVs have r e du ce d

torpedo armament to allow for
mr'ssrJes sucft a s S ubro c, H arPun
and T omahawk, or tube- Iau n chxi
mines.

Aboveleft: AMk48 torpedo is

lowered into the torqedo room c::3
nu cle ar - powered b all is tic mis s :-e
submarine USS Stonewall Jacks::. : :
the Naval S ubmarine Su PPo:
Kings Bay, Georgia. These
subm ar ines ar e arm e d wt'j'.

:'-: : z'

torpedoes for self-protec::::. : :.:

'

--:

Lett: An artist's impresstor c: :.=

stage in the life of a M k 48. with *'e
onboard sonar homing in on the

hapless target at
of close to 60 kts.

maxim

u.i,n

s-Ds:

fl

Whir"t

"ad

Motofides A184 and A244 torpedoes

The Al84 is a dual-purpose ASWantiship heavyweight mre-gmided torpedo produced by Whitehead Motofides

and carried by Italian navy submarines and surface ships. It has also
been expofied to Taiwan for use on rts
'Guppy II' and 'Improved Zwaardvis'
class submarrnes. The panoramic ac-

tive/passive acoustic-homrng head

controls the torpedo's course and
depth in the final attack phase whilst
the initial wrre guidance uses the
launch platform's own sonar sensors to

guide the weapon up to the point of

Capable of submarine or surface launch, theWhitehead A184 is capable of engaging both submarine and surface
targets.Wire-guided, itis capable of operating atgreatdepths and in a two-speed mode.

Specification
Al84

and has dual speed capabilities (low

speed for the passive hunting phase

Dimensions: diameter 533 mm (21 in);

lenqrth 6.00 m (19.69 ft)
Weisht: 1265 ks(2,789 ;b)
Warhead: 250-kq (5511b) HE
Performance: 24 or 36 kts; range 25 or
I0 lcn (15,53 or 6,21mi]es)

and high speed for the terminal attack

or active phase).

Specification

acoustrc acqursition. Like most modern

electrically-powered torpedoes the

A1B4 is fitted with a silver-zinc battery

To complement the AlB4 and re-

place the Amerrcan Mk 44 for operations in the notoriously difflcult ASW

environment of the Mediterranean the

lightweight 4244 was developed. This

is an electrically-driven weapon suitable for use by aircraft, helicopters or

A244/S

Dimensions: diameter 324 mm

(12.75 in): Ienqth 2.70 m (8.86 ft)
Weight: 221 ks (4BZ lb)
Warhead: 34-kg (75-1b) HE
Performance: speed 30 ks; ranqe
6.5 km (4.04 miles)

surface ships in normal or shallow wa-

ters, ln its original form it was fitted

with a Selenia AG70 homingr head, but
the latest variant, the 4244lS, has a
CiACIO-S advanced homing seeker,
Using special signal-processingr techmque, this allows both active and passive operations which can discriminate between a real tarqet and decoys,
The 4'244 and A244lS have been sold

Right: Designed for launch from

surtace ships, helicopters and
aircraft, theA244 is capable of both
active and passive operations, in a
wide variety oI attack pattems. The
weapon has also beenadapted as a
potentialwarload for the lkara antisu bm arine mis sile sy s tem.

to a number of countries including

Below:TheAl84 is the latest

Argentirn, Ecuador, India, Indonesia,

heavyweight product of one of

Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, Peru and Venezuela, Whitehead is currently working

world's oldesttorpedo
manufacturers. As with most modern
torpedoes, it is electrically powered
to a maximum speed of 36 kts, and
has a maximum range of I 0 km (6.2 I

on a replacement weapon for the A244

serres, the 50-kt high-performance

4290, which uses seeker technologry
derived from the A244lS weapon,

2644

miles) atthatspeed.

th.e

The Mediterranean is a very difficult environment for the elfective use of

tor pedoes, and the A2 44 h as been desigme d to repl ace the US - built M k 44
Italian service with that fact in mind.

in

Armed Forces of the World

Although the Mexican arrned'orces played a critical

role ln national politics up to and :ncluding the revolution of 191 1-20, they are nc!{ iae least polrtical in
Latin America and are resoo:s cle for little more
ihan internal security. Deiei:ce:ga nst external enemies has generally been lea lc Vex co's powerful
northern neighbour, the USA.

Mexico is dlvided into 35

Nl!

l:a''' Z:r.es. which

correspond basically with the 3i S'.a:es

and the solitary Federal Distr,c'I. Hs ^

:'

\4exico

:l.e other

ccuntries in the region, all three se'\ a=s 3re engaged in various forms of civic ac: c' :-3: -: -tre
:-b: c health and educational progra--:s

it

J
rl

The army

Tne 94,5O0-strong Mexican arrnv ce-' s:-: :a::'the Military Zones with one or tlvc ''=".', ==:.2cns and, in the majority of them, one ca\3 ^, -3-c
:nt. Based at Mexico City itself are ins -a I ar.:'r'
-rits, including the mechanized baita ors c' :re
r'esidential Guard br'gade group. i\ c ^:a^:^' c:;ade groups and one paratroop brrgaie. Tre :avaln
-:giments are gradually undergoing mecnar zai on
,', th both wheeled AFVs and soft-sk.nned venrcies
purchased. A full list of tne army in ts
=s these are
:..rrrently in berng includes:

r-

:re infantry divrsion HQ,

:re Presidential Guard mechanized

brigade group

(of three battalions),

:,vo infantry brigade groups (each of two infantry

battal'ons, one arrroured .econnaissance
squadron and one artillery battalion),
:ne paratroop brigade (of two battalions),
-4 independent lnfantry battalions,
:ne special forces battalion,
:re armoured regiment.
:ne armoured reconnaissance regiment,
i3 independent cavalry regiments,
--- ree artillery regiments,
:re combat engineer battalion,
3 construction battalions,
-^ <nown number of independent engineer
companies, and
-:(nown number of independent air-defence
artillery batteries.

.+-*

Armoured cars confront students during the I 968

riots. The Mexican army has had little hand in

national politics (by Latin American standards)

since 1 929, but the refusal of the PRI to concede so
much as a single elec tion in I 9 I 5 might well bring
the political struggle on to the streets before long.

ments industry exists, and this manufactul'es : '=,',

types of small arms, ammunition and more :.:=-: an indlgenously designed light armoureci ca- <-: ,', jgr
as the DN-3 Caballo. The most recent fore
ases have included 42 French Panhard EAC-3::Lynx armoured cars and 27 Panhard VBL lig"; -=..-naissance vehicles (includlng erght equippe: :: :-:'
ry and fire Milan ATGWs). A full llst of the eqin service is:

:-':--

:-=-:

To back these regular units there are an additional

250,000 conscripts who are organlzed into National

Service Brigades that receive minimal military training.

The equipment used by the army is a curious

mixture of fairly modern European and obsolete
American types; several models of AFVs have been
exported only to Mexico. A small indigenous arma-

Operated by Escuadron Aero 209, Grupo Aerer: i

based at Santa Lucia, Mexico State, this
A6rospatiale SA 330J Puma is one of two WP
transport helicopters operated by the Meican air
"

force.

lz

Armed Forces of the World

rmou r : M34'1 Stuart and M5A1 Stuart light tanks ;
DN-3 Caballo, M3A1 and PanhardVBLscoutcars;
MAC-1 , Panhard ERC-90F1 and MB armoured
cars; and HWK-I 1, M3A1 , Panhard M3WS,
MOWAG Roland and AMX-1 0P APCs;
artillery:\towed) 75-mm (2.95-in) M116 pack
howitzers and 1 05-mm (4.1 3-in) M'1 01 howitzers;
(self-propelled) 75-mm MB and 105-mm M7

'Gearing' class FRAM-1 destroyers of World War ll

vintage were bought. The only other major purchases in recent times have been the six 'Halcon' class
patrol ships ordered from Spain in '1 982 and the
continuing programme of the 'Azteca' class large
patrol craft, initially f rom the UK and then from local
shipyards after '1 973. ln a recent expansion of the
local shipbuilding capability nine'Aquila' class patrol

howitzers;
(mortars) 60-mm (2.36-in) US,81-mm (3.2-in)
French and US, 107-mm (4.2-in) US and 120-mm
(4.72-in) French;
a nti-a rmou r weaponsi 3.5-in (88.9-mm) M20 rocketlaunchers, 57-mm M'1 B recoilless rif les, 37-mm
M3 ATG and Milan ATGWs;
air-defence weapons: 12.7-mm M55 gun; and
small arms:O.45-ln (1 1.43-mm) Obregon and Colt
M1911 pistols; 0.3-in (7.62-mm) M1 Garand, M2
Carbine and HK33 rifles; 5.56-mm (0.219-in)
H K53 and 0.45-in M 1 92841 Thompson SMGs;
0.3-in Browning Automatic Rifle and RM2 LMGs;
0.3-in Browning M 1 91 9 MMG; and 0.5-in
Browning HMG.

ships have been ordered. These are basically a version of the 'Halcon' class modified to local needs.
The complete inventory of the navy includes:

The navy
The 15,200-man Mexican navy has 13

Naval

Zones to protect. of which five are subordlnated to

the Gulf of Mexico Command and eight to the

Pacific Ocean Command. A small350-man naval air

arm flies three squadrons and operates a smalltraining school. Of the squadrons the most important are

the maritime patrol squadron with eight Grumman

HU-'1 64 Albatross amphibians, and the helicopter
squadron with four A6rospatiale Alouette llls, five
Bell 47Gs and five MBB BO 105s. The last are
configured for shipboard use.
The 4,5OO-strong marine corps is organized into

three battalion headquarters that control a total of 1

Marine security companies. They are equipped with
obsolete small arms and French 81-mm mortars.
Although the discovery of oil in Mexico allowed
more money for the defence budget, with many
re-equipment schemes being proposed, the subsequent economic crises have now delayed indefinitely any real chance of their implementation, and the
navy has had to maintain in service its fleet of old
surface combatants. The navy's role appears to be
the patrolling of an exclusive economic zone (including the offshore oilfields) and fishery protection
against foreign poachers. ln 1982 two ex-US Navy

lI

pitrs,

destroyers:Iwo ex-US 'Gearing FRAM-1 ' class and

one ex-US'Fletcher' class;
frigates:one ex-US 'Edsall' class, one 'Durango'
class and four'Charles Lawrence/Crosley' class;
Iightforces:six 'Halcon'class large patrol craft, nine
'Aquila'class large patrol craft (building), 1B ex-US
'Auk'class patrol ships, 16 ex-US 'Admirable'
class patrol ships, one'Guanajuato' class patrol

craft,3'l 'Azteca' class large patrol craft (plus

more building), seven coastal patrol craft, and 17
river patrol craft;
amphibious warfare forces:Iwo LSTs; and
su pport ships : seven survey ships, one tender, one
transport, two harbour tankers, one training ship,
eight tugs and 1 3 miscellaneous vessels.

The air force

Like the other two services, the Mexican air force
has suffered considerably from financial restraints
and it was not until 1 981 , with the delivery of a single
squadron of 10 Northrop F-SE and two F-5F Tiger ll
fighters, that it re-entered the arena of air forces
operating let fighters. The Tigers operate alongside
a single counter-insurgency (COIN) squadron flying
14 Lockheed AT-33A armed jet trainers. The considerable force of North American AT-2BD armed
piston-engined trainers has now been retired, the
six COIN squadrons now flying armed and camouflaged Pllatus PC-7 Turbo Trainers. A total of 55 has
been procured for both the COIN and basic training
roles. A photo-reconnaissance/survey squadron
also exists, and this uses some eight Rockwell Aero
Commander 500s equipped with cameras, For the
SAR mission there are two squadrons, of which one
doubles in the light tactical support role with eight

lAl Arava 201 transports; the other operates 23

helicopters of eight different makes, of which
numerically the most important are the five Bell

2068 JetRangers and '10 Bell 205As which can also

be armed for the COIN role.
The fixed-wing transport needs of the armed

forces and civilian government departments are

undertaken by four squadrons and a VIP presidential
unit. The latter has a mixed inventory of nine Boeing
727 jetliners, two Boeing 737 jetliners, a Fokker
F.27. a Lockheed JetStar VIP 1et, Lockheed Electra
airliner, a BAe HSl25-400 VIP jet, five Rockwell
Sabreliner commuter jets and a Cessna 41 0R, plus a
single Bell 212 and two A6rospatiale SA 330 Puma
VIP helicopters. The remaining fixed-wing transport
assets include two Douglas DC-6s. one Douglas
DC-7, five Douglas C-54s, 20 Douglas C-47s. three
de Havilland Canada DHC-5D Buffaloes, 12 Pilatus-

Britten Norman lslanders, three Shorts Skyvans,

five Fokker F.27 Friendships and a few Cessna twinengine llght communications aircraft.
Training for the various squadrons is undertaken
on 20 Mudry CAP-10B primary trainers. The trainee
pilots then progress onto the survivors of 20 Beech
F33C and 20 Beech M usketeer Sport trainers before
they finally attempt the Pilatus PC-7. Multi-engined
training is done on a few Beech Barons and Piper
Aztecs, while helicopter pilots learn the Bell 47G at
squadron level.
For rapid-reaction duties the air force operates a
paratroop banalion that is independent of the army.

Paramilitary forces
Mexican paramilitary forces comprise 23,400
Federal Police and a 120,000-strong Rural Defence
Corps. The latter includes some 80,000 mounted
personnel and 40,000 dismounted members, all using obsolete small arms passed down from the
armed forces.
There is also a small coast guard which has six
patrol craft and an aviation element with 17 helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. The coast guard is currently involved heavily with its Amerlcan counterpart on anti-smuggling duties to prevent drugs
reaching the USA.
Organized intrusions into Mexican fishing
grounds, plus the need to protect the offshore oil
fields, have increased the importance of the
counfi's navy in recentyears. HeribertoJara
Corona rs one of 3 I 'Azteca' class large patrol boats
armed with one 40-mm ( 1.57-in) and one 20-mm

(0.79-in)wn