High-speed supercavitating torpedoes, new in style, reach over 230 mph and are rapidly changing naval warfare. Supercavitation designates an augmentation, or the forcing of water around an object and generation of a bubble of vapor, and thus grants speed to supercavitating torpedoes moving through the water with lessened drag. This, however, brings up significant challenges in guidance, control, and targeting.
Alternatively, since the conventional torpedoes would use such control surfaces as an airplane’s wings and rudder to steer toward their targets, supercavitating torpedoes cannot extend these control surfaces out of their protective bubble to do the same without risking their collapse. They can thus travel in a straight line, and targeting becomes a big deal. Furthermore, they are so noisy that both passive and active sonars are useless; the torpedoes will not be able to differentiate if they are hitting an enemy vessel or a rock formation.
But even with these challenges, the potential with super-cavitation torpedoes is still high. The potential with these could, indeed, become formidable weapons if advances in maneuverability and target homing pick up. “All that could change, though, once someone figures out an efficient way to maneuver them, and enable them to home-in on their targets,” experts say.
Russia is trying to rectify these issues with its Khishchnik high-speed torpedo. The Khishchnik is designed to replace the VA-111 Shkval, a supercavitating torpedo operational with the Soviet Navy since 1977. The Shkval achieved considerable speed because of the combination of a solid-propellant rocket motor and an underwater ramjet that propelled the torpedo inside an air bubble, generated by a gas turbine unit in its nose section.
However, the Shkval suffered from several drawbacks: it had a range of only 13 km and did not have a seeker because of the impossibility of maneuvering at high speeds and too much noise and vibration. Although this can take a bit over two minutes to reach the target since launch, this reveals the position of the submarine for all the time it takes to do this, and the small range shortens the distance to the antisubmarine coverage area of the enemy, diminishing chances of survival.
Another source described it as not merely an improved Shkval but a new product, with a huge amount of funds allocated for its development. The torpedo is believed to be enhanced in its range, stealth, and probable seeker, so it is quite practical and more serviceable compared to the past version. “It is possible that the torpedo will have a seeker and be able to maneuver and its range and stealth will increase,” notes military expert Vladimir Tuchkov.
A new era of high-speed underwater combat could emerge in the future of naval warfare engagement as other countries, such as Germany and Iran, among others, develop supercavitating torpedo technology. The nature of naval battles is set to change with such advanced systems of torpedoes as the degree to which oceans can be seen is going to be more contested and dangerous waters.