Not Coincidentally
Page view statistics indicate that among Molten Eagle's most popular postings ever was
Those 345 MPH Supercavitating Torpedoes: Did You Know? It dealt with Russia's VA-111 supercavitating Skhval torpedo and has received regular viewings ever since 2006. China had reportedly bought 40 from Russia in 1998. And, we of course mentioned that the "Shkval 2" had vectored steering capability like guided missile technology, perfect for torpedoes too fast for reliable wire guidance, butlike airborne rockets quite responsive to inertial navigation guidance with directional rocket thrusts.
The next month (April 200) we noted that the highest and best potential uses of Shkval technology had probably not been for torpedo propulsion at all, but actually for Supercavitating Naval Mine Fields, or supercavitating versions of the U.S. Navy's Mark 60 CAPTOR.
Two years later, although we leaked a certain countermeasure to the Skhval torpedo menace that seems to have been completely hushed, but avid readership, much of it apparently from North Korea (spoofed from the South) has persisted.
Now, China is boasting of having overcome: (1) steering difficulties in the decades old shkval technology that allows a smidgeon of friction for rudimentary precision, and; (2) combines liquid-membrane lubricant technology with supercavitation allowing lower launch speeds (misinformation):
Chinese reportedly working on submarine that would ‘fly’ in an ‘air bubble’
There continues to be 'sub'terfuge and great secrecy on all sides of what is actually available and under development, but one thing is for certain. China and North Korea may some day have strategically placed supercavitating (super fast) fields of directed mines, activatable by enemy sub signatures.
Do any M.E. readers really believe the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) had not updated the CAPTOR concept years ago, refined encapsulated torpedo activation capabilities (MK 71 TDD) and has been spoofing our own submarine signatures for enemy consumption? We can bet that our Russian friends have been working on same. The difference has been that China tends to steal U.S. technology while importing Russian technology.
Submarines are always silent and strange.
Labels: 'sub'terfuge, CAPTOR, China, encapsulated torpedoes, Iran, mines, North Korea, Russia, Shkval
posted by Vigilis @ 4:14 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Hi Vigilis
As a revenge or last ditch weapon at least one of the 2 or 3? Shkvals on a Russian sub may sport a small nuclear warhead. This may defeat quick setting concrete counter-measures.
Here's another useful reference on the MK 71 and friends http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=9773&page=75
Cheers
Pete
That could be correct, Pete, but limited to relatively long distance kill shots or Russian suicide subs.
The long distance shots are the only ones that would give target subs enough warning to deploy the quick set countermeasure, and you are still correct, a nuke blast would probably overcome that.
Moreover, the countermeasures (many would be required) would have to lie in an accurate interception path, prediction of which would be like threading of a needle under extreme time stress.
With their own MK-71-type detection technology, China no doubt has deployed Shkval mine clusters at strategic points on its the seabed near Hainan Island, for instance. Would not Russia and the U.S. do likewise?
Thanks again for your feedback.
Post a Comment
<< Home