Spearfish (torpedo)
| Spearfish (torpedo) | |
|---|---|
| General Information | |
| Designation: | Spearfish |
| Country of origin: | Great Britain |
| Manufacturer: | Marconi Company , now BAE Systems |
| Working time: | 1981 until today |
| Technical specifications | |
| Length: | approx. 234 in (5.94 m) |
| Diameter: | 533 millimeters (21 in) |
| Combat weight: | 4077 pounds . (1850 kg) |
| Drive: | Pump jet driven by a gas turbine. Otto 2 fuel with hydroxylammonium perchlorate (HAP) |
| Speed: | - more than 60 knots (early version from 1981)
- more than 80 knots (around 150 km / h) for the version put into service in 1994 |
| Range: | - 1981 version: around 23,000 yards (21,000 m) at 60 kn
- unknown at 80 knots (1994 version) |
| Furnishing | |
| Warhead: | 661 lbs. (300 kg) PBX with aluminum powder |
| Target location: | Sonar (active and passive) |
| Steering: | Wire steering |
| Ignition device: |
Impact fuse when used against underwater targets , magneto when used against surface targets |
| Weapon platforms: |
Modern British submarine classes ( Astute , Vanguard and Upholder ) |
| Lists on the subject | |
The Spearfish is a British heavy torpedo whose design dates back to the 1980s.
history
The Spearfish was created from 1982 by the Marconi company according to the specifications of the British naval staff. The torpedo was basically built to destroy deep - diving high-speed submarines of Russian design such as the Alfa class . The warhead is equipped with a shaped charge and its shell is reinforced. In this way, the detonation energy is released in a concentrated manner towards the front. He was with regard to the destruction of the great double-hulled boats such as the SSBN of the Typhoon class or SSGN the Oscar-class built. With the help of the HAP Sundstrand 21TP01 gas turbine engine and a pump jet propulsion system , the torpedo can reach more than 60 knots. The torpedo is first steered by wire. If the wire has fallen off, an active / passive sonar seeker takes over the further attack run, whereby the built-in control computer can also make tactical decisions about the further attack run.
The weapon has been in service with the British Navy since the late 1980s and replaced the Mk 24 Tigerfish , which was retired in 2004 .
Trivia
The writer Tom Clancy described the torpedo back in 1986 in his book Red Storm Rising .
literature
- Robert Jackson: Submarines . Gondromverlag, Bindlach 2001, ISBN 3-8112-1874-3 .
Web links
- British Torpedoes since World War II ( English ) In: Navweaps.com . July 4, 2006. Retrieved November 10, 2009.
- Spearfish on royalnavy.mod.uk (engl.)
- Andrew Chuter: “Royal Navy Subs To Get Upgraded Spearfish Torpedo” , defensenews.com, (new torpedoes coming in 2024)
Individual evidence
-
↑ British Torpedoes since World War II ( English ) In: Navweaps.com . July 4, 2006. Retrieved November 10, 2009: "Range / Speed:
1981 version: About 23,000 yards (21,000 m) / 60+ knots
1994 version: Range unknown / 80+ knots"