Underwater missile squall. Soviet submarine missile "Shkval"

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

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

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

History of creation

From the late 40s to the 60s, development, research, and testing of torpedoes and engines for them were carried out, from Ladoga to Issyk-Kul, by various institutes. The main initiators of the idea were candidates L.I. Sedov and G.V. Logvinovich, professors of various fields of knowledge and Navy specialists.

The idea was the following - to create a high-speed torpedo, from which it would be impossible for a large ship to escape by maneuver.

In October 1960, after a resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, work began on creating a torpedo moving at a speed of 100 m/s (approximately 360 km/h or 195-200 nautical knots). The speed of conventional torpedoes is no more than 20-25 m/s (60-70 km/h or 40-50 nautical knots).

The development was entrusted to NII-24 (now SNPP - “Region”) under the leadership of I. L. Merkulov. Information about the work on such a project in the USSR reached Western “friends,” but it had no effect other than laughter at the naivety of Soviet engineers.

The development of weapons of this level is a high-tech work, decades ahead of its time, as was believed in the United States.

To create such a weapon, it was necessary to combine the efforts of various industries, research into new technologies, develop new engines and fuel for them, and study fundamentally new physical phenomena in the underwater environment.

After a colossal amount of work, the Soviet M-4 submarine missile was tested from 1964 to 1972. Design errors led to the need to modernize this model. In 1977, the world's first jet torpedo, the M-5, underwent a series of state tests. The Shkval missile torpedo is entering service with the USSR Navy under the designation VA-111.

At this time, scientists from the USA are also making progress in this area - they prove that high torpedo speeds under water (in particular, up to 100 m/s) are theoretically possible.

Western submarines were already built using stealth technologies and had an advantage in stealth over their domestic counterparts. The Soviet submarine fleet, to some extent, leveled the odds by arming its submarines with high-speed torpedoes.

The highlight of 150 kilotons and torpedo design

Speed ​​and engine

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

There are two engines: booster and sustainer.

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

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

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

I see a purpose, but I do not see obstacles

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

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

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

Surprise on board

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

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

Feasibility of launch

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

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

Performance characteristics of weapons

• Caliber for standard torpedo tube: 533 mm;
• Length: 8200 mm;
• Weight: 2700 kg;
• Warhead weight: 210 kg;
• Speed: 200 knots (100 m/s, or 360 km/h);
• Range varies among sources: from 11 to 14 km
• Launch depth: 30 m;
• Immersion depth: 6 m.

Modifications

• M-4 - unsuccessful sample, (1972);
• M-5 - a good option (1975);
• VA-111 “Shkval” - the basic version of the complex with the M-5 torpedo (1977);
• VA-111E “Shkval-E” - export version (1992);
• “Shkval-M” - a torpedo with a homing system, with a warhead of 350 kg, (classified, almost no information, 2010);
• "Shkval-M2" (classified) - (2013).

Epilogue

The weapon was classified until a spy scandal in 2000 involving an attempt to steal the plans. To this day, many details have not been disclosed.

According to open data, there are no analogues in service, but development has been going on since the late 80s. The Shkval submarine missile has most likely been removed from combat duty today due to its shortcomings, which cannot be overcome.

Video

At the turn of the 1960s-70s, experimental developments appeared in the Soviet Union on the topic of heavy torpedoes aimed at the wake of enemy ships.
Around the same time, when asked by a war correspondent: “How are you going to protect aircraft carriers from Russian super-torpedoes?” One of the senior representatives of the US Navy gave a simple and laconic answer: “We will put a cruiser in the wake of each aircraft carrier.”

Thus, the Yankees recognized the absolute vulnerability of aircraft carrier groups to Soviet torpedoes and chose, from two evils, the best option, in their opinion: to use their own cruiser as a “human shield.”

Actually, the US Navy didn’t have much to choose from - the 11-meter 65-76 “Kit” 650 mm ammunition, better known as the “Soviet fat torpedo,” left American sailors no choice. This is inevitable death. A dexterous and long “arm” that made it possible to hold the fleet of a “potential enemy” by the throat.

The Soviet Navy has prepared a “farewell surprise” for the enemy - two alternative endings to a naval battle: getting half a ton of TNT on board and falling into the bottomless depths of the sea, tumbling and choking in the cold water, or finding a quick death in a thermonuclear flame (half of the “long torpedoes” » was equipped with a self-propelled unit).

The phenomenon of torpedo weapons

Every time, turning to the topic of confrontation between the USSR Navy and the US Navy, the authors and participants in discussions somehow forget that in addition to the existence of anti-ship cruise missiles, in naval warfare there is another specific weapon - mine-torpedo weapons (Combat Unit-3 according to the organization of the Russian Navy).

Modern torpedoes pose no less (and even greater) danger than supersonic anti-ship missiles - primarily due to their increased stealth and powerful warhead, 2-3 times the mass of warheads of anti-ship missiles. The torpedo is less dependent on weather conditions and can be used in conditions of strong waves and heavy gusts of wind. In addition, an attacking torpedo is much more difficult to destroy or “knock off course” by jamming - despite all efforts to counter torpedo weapons, designers regularly propose new guidance schemes that devalue all previous efforts to create “anti-torpedo” barriers.

Unlike damage caused by an anti-ship missile hit, where such problems as “fighting fires” and “fighting for survivability” are still relevant, an encounter with a torpedo poses a simple question to the unfortunate sailors: where are the life rafts and inflatable vests? – ships of the “destroyer” or “cruiser” class are simply broken in half by the explosion of conventional torpedoes.

The decommissioned Australian frigate was destroyed by a Mark.48 torpedo (warhead mass - 295 kg)

The reason for the terrible destructive effect of the torpedo is obvious - water is an incompressible medium, and all the energy of the explosion is directed into the body. Damage in the underwater part does not bode well for sailors and usually leads to the rapid destruction of the ship.
Finally, the torpedo is the main weapon of submarines, and this makes it a particularly dangerous means of naval combat.

Russian answer

During the Cold War, a very absurd and ambiguous situation developed at sea. The American Navy, thanks to carrier-based aircraft and sophisticated air defense systems, was able to create a naval air defense system that was exceptional in its strength, making American squadrons virtually invulnerable to air attack.

The Russians acted in the best traditions of Sun Tzu. The ancient Chinese treatise “The Art of War” says: go where they are least expected, attack where you are least prepared. Indeed, why “climb the pitchforks” of carrier-based fighters and modern anti-aircraft systems if you can strike from under water?

In this case, the AUG loses its main trump card - the submarines are completely indifferent to how many interceptors and early warning aircraft are on the decks of the Nimitz. And the use of torpedo weapons will allow you to avoid encounters with formidable air defense systems.

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

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

The “dead sectors” under the bottoms of the ships were reliably covered by multi-purpose nuclear submarines, and somewhere far in the ocean, tens of miles from the moving squadron, anti-submarine helicopters and specialized Viking and Orion aircraft conducted a continuous search.

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

In addition, the Americans took decisive measures to counter the fired torpedoes: behind the stern of each ship the float of the towed noise trap AN/SLQ-15 Nixie “dangled”, which made the use of torpedoes with passive guidance on the noise of the propellers of enemy ships ineffective.

Analyzing the current situation, the Soviet sailors rightly judged that the chance of being detected by anti-submarine aircraft is relatively small - any AUG, convoy or detachment of warships is unlikely to be able to constantly keep more than 8-10 vehicles in the air. Too small to control tens of thousands of square kilometers of adjacent water space.

The main thing is to “stay out of sight” of the sonars of escort cruisers and nuclear submarines of the US Navy. In this case, it is necessary to fire torpedoes from a distance of at least 40...50 kilometers (≈20...30 nautical miles). There were no problems with detection and target designation - the roar of the propellers of large ship formations was clearly audible hundreds of kilometers away.

Heavy torpedo 65-76 "Kit". Length - 11.3 m. Diameter - 650 mm. Weight - 4.5 tons. Speed ​​- 50 knots. (sometimes up to 70 knots are indicated). Cruising range - 50 km at 50 knots or 100 km at 35 knots. The mass of the warhead is 557 kg. Guidance is carried out along the wake

Having decided on the choice of weapons, the sailors turned to industry representatives for help and were quite surprised by the response they received. It turned out that the Soviet military-industrial complex acted proactively and had been developing “long-range” torpedoes since 1958. Of course, special capabilities required special technical solutions - the dimensions of the super-torpedo went beyond the usual 533 mm torpedo tubes. At the same time, the achieved speed, firing range and weight of the warhead brought the sailors into indescribable delight.

The most powerful underwater weapon ever created by man was in the hands of the USSR Navy.

65-76 "Whale"

...The 11-meter “arrow” rushes through the water column, scanning the space with a sonar for the presence of inhomogeneities and turbulences in the water environment. These turbulences are nothing more than a wake - water disturbances remaining behind the stern of a moving ship. One of the main unmasking factors, a “standing wave” is visible even many hours after the passage of large marine equipment.

The "fat torpedo" cannot be deceived with the AN/SLQ-25 Nixie or thrown off course using discardable traps - the hellish underwater tracker does not pay attention to noise and interference - it reacts only to the wake of the ship. In a few minutes, the soulless robot will bring 557 kilograms of TNT as a gift to American sailors.

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

Mk.46 torpedo shot

Here on the aircraft carrier they figure out what needs to be done - the command “Stop the car!” flies down. Fully back!”, but the 100,000-ton ship, by inertia, continues to stubbornly crawl forward, leaving a treacherous trail behind the stern.
There is a deafening roar of an explosion, and the escort cruiser Belknap disappears behind the stern of the aircraft carrier. More fireworks erupt on the port beam - a second explosion tears the frigate Knox apart. On the aircraft carrier they realize with horror that they are next!

At this time, the next two torpedoes are rushing towards the doomed formation - the submarine, having reloaded the devices, sends the Yankees a new gift. In total, the Barracuda's ammunition loadout includes twelve super-ammunitions. One after another, the boat fires “thick torpedoes” from a distance of fifty kilometers, watching the Yankee ships rushing along the surface of the ocean. The boat itself is invulnerable to anti-aircraft defense systems of the aircraft carrier group - they are separated by 50 kilometers.

Mission accomplished!

The position of American sailors was complicated by the fact that “thick torpedoes” included in the ammunition load of 60 nuclear-powered ships of the USSR Navy.

The carriers were multi-purpose nuclear submarines of projects 671 RT and RTM(K), 945 and 971. Also, project 949 “loaves” were equipped with super-torpedoes (yes, dear reader, in addition to the missiles of the P-700 complex, the “loaf” could hit a “potential enemy” a dozen torpedoes 65-76 “Kit”). Each of the above submarines had two or four torpedo tubes of 650 mm caliber, ammunition varied from 8 to 12 “thick torpedoes” (of course, not counting conventional 533 mm caliber ammunition).

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

The “fat torpedo” also had a twin brother – torpedo 65-73 (as follows from the index, it was created several years earlier, in 1973). Full drive and fire!
Unlike the “intellectual” 65-76, the predecessor was an ordinary “Kuzka’s mother” for the destruction of everything living and inanimate in its path. 65-73 were generally indifferent to external interference - the torpedo traveled in a straight line towards the enemy, guided by the data of the inertial system. Until the 20-kiloton warhead detonated at the calculated route point. Everyone who was within a radius of 1000 meters could safely return to Norfolk and dock for long-term repairs. Even if the ship did not sink, a nearby nuclear explosion would tear out the external radio-electronic equipment and antenna devices along with the “meat,” break the superstructure and cripple the launchers—one could forget about completing any mission.

In a word, the Pentagon had something to think about.

Killer torpedo

This is what the legendary 65-76 is called after the tragic events of August 2000. The official version says that the spontaneous explosion of a “thick torpedo” caused the death of the K-141 Kursk submarine. At first glance, the version is at least worthy of attention: the 65-76 torpedo is not a baby rattle at all. This is a dangerous weapon, the handling of which requires special skills.

Torpedo propeller 65-76

One of the “weak points” of the torpedo was its propulsion unit - an impressive firing range was achieved using a hydrogen peroxide propulsion unit. And this means gigantic pressures, violently reacting components and the potential for the onset of an involuntary reaction of an explosive nature. As an argument, supporters of the “thick torpedo” version of the explosion cite the fact that all “civilized” countries of the world have abandoned hydrogen peroxide torpedoes. Sometimes from the lips of “democratically minded specialists” one hears such an absurd statement, supposedly a “poor scoop” created a torpedo using a hydrogen peroxide mixture only out of a desire to “save money” (of course, the “specialists” did not bother to look on the Internet and at least briefly familiarize themselves with the performance characteristics and the appearance of “thick torpedoes”).

However, the majority of Marines, who are familiar with this torpedo system first-hand, question the official point of view. There are two reasons for this.

Without going into details of the strict instructions and regulations for storing, loading and firing “thick torpedoes,” naval experts note that the reliability of the system was very high (as high as the reliability of a modern combat torpedo can be). 65-76 had a dozen fuses and serious “fool protection” - it was necessary to perform some completely inadequate actions in order to activate the components of the torpedo’s fuel mixture.

Over a quarter of a century of operation of this system on 60 nuclear submarines of the USSR Navy, no difficulties or problems were noted with the operation of this weapon.

The second argument sounds no less serious - who and how determined that it was the “fat torpedo” that was responsible for the death of the boat? After all, the torpedo compartment of the Kursk was cut off and destroyed at the bottom by explosive charges. Why did you need to saw off the bow at all? I'm afraid we won't know the answer anytime soon.

As for the statement about the worldwide abandonment of hydrogen peroxide torpedoes, this is also a fallacy. Developed in 1984, the Swedish heavy torpedo Tr613, powered by a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and ethanol, is still in service with the Swedish Navy and the Norwegian Navy. And no problems!

Forgotten Hero

In the same year, when the lost Kursk boat sank to the bottom of the Barents Sea, a major espionage scandal erupted in Russia related to the theft of state secrets - a certain US citizen Edmond Pope tried to secretly acquire documentation for the Shkval underwater missile torpedo. This is how the Russian public learned about the existence of underwater weapons capable of reaching speeds of 200+ knots (370 km/h) underwater. The public liked the high-speed underwater system so much that any mention in the media of the Shkval missile torpedo evokes an equally flurry of admiring responses and joyful declarations of love for this “miracle weapon,” the analogues of which, of course, do not exist.

The high-speed rocket-torpedo "Shkval" is a cheap rattle compared to the "Soviet fat torpedo" 65-76. The Shkval's fame is undeserved - the torpedo is completely useless as a weapon, and its combat value tends to zero.

Shkval underwater missile. Interesting thing, but completely useless

Unlike the 65-76, which fires at 50 kilometers or more, the Shkval’s firing range does not exceed 7 km (the new modification is 13 km). Few, very few. In modern naval combat, reaching such a distance is an extremely difficult and risky task. The warhead of a rocket torpedo is almost 3 times lighter. But the main “catch” in this whole story is that “Shkval”, due to its high speed, is an unguided weapon, and the probability of it hitting even a weakly maneuvering target is close to 0%, especially considering that the “Shkval” attack is devoid of any stealth. An underwater missile on a combat course is easy to detect - and no matter how fast the Shkval is, by the time it covers 10 km, the ship will have time to change course and move a considerable distance away from the calculated aiming point. It is not difficult to imagine what will happen in this case to the submarine that fired Shkval - the distinct trail of the missile-torpedo will clearly indicate the location of the submarine.

In a word, the miracle weapon “Shkval” is another fruit of journalistic fantasies and philistine imagination. At the same time, the Real Hero - the “Soviet fat torpedo”, the mere mention of which made NATO sailors’ knees tremble, was undeservedly slandered and buried under the weight of the past years.

In connection with the Kursk nuclear submarine disaster, a decision was made to remove the 65-76 Kit torpedo from service with the Russian Navy. A very dubious and unjustified decision, probably made not without prompting from our “Western partners.” Now no Shkval will replace the lost combat capabilities of submarines.

The Shkval is being replaced by an even more powerful rocket torpedo.

The authoritative military blog bmpd reported that the Saratov Elektropribor design bureau is close to completing the R&D work on creating a new high-speed torpedo. It should become the “successor” of the famous Shkval, which is capable of reaching a speed of 200 knots underwater, which is equivalent to 370 km/h. Analysts of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, who maintain a blog, became aware of this in connection with Elektropribor’s submission of an application for participation in the “Aircraft Manufacturer of the Year” competition based on the results of 2015, held by the Union of Aircraft Manufacturers of Russia.

Two works were submitted to the competition, one of which is devoted to “the implementation of the state defense order for the creation of components of promising underwater vehicles.” And further: “Since 2013, the enterprise team has been developing, manufacturing prototypes and testing a component of an underwater missile that implements new principles of boundary layer control.” We are talking about the Predator torpedo, information about which is extremely limited due to the high degree of secrecy of this development.

It is curious that the torpedo is being created by an enterprise that develops components for military aircraft. And the development is being submitted to a competition established by the Union of Aircraft Manufacturers of Russia. The fact is that this type of weapon is called a missile torpedo. And the rocket part of this product is handled by the Elektropribor design bureau. The design bureau creates electrical components for the torpedo that ensure the operation of the rocket engine and a control system.

The Predator is not the first domestic missile torpedo. And if scientific and technical ideas are successfully transformed into a combat-ready product, it will become the fourth in the world. The weapon is truly unique. It is no coincidence that the Americans for a long time did not believe in the possibility of its creation, despite the data they received from their intelligence about the conduct of a top-secret R&D project. Until 1977, the VA-111 Shkval torpedo was adopted into service with the USSR Navy.

The development of Shkval began in 1960 at NII-24 (now the State Research and Production Enterprise Region, part of the Tactical Missiles Corporation). The received technical specifications envisaged the creation of a torpedo with a cruising speed of 200 knots (370 km/h), a range of 20 km and launched using a standard 533-mm torpedo tube.

The first prototype of the torpedo was built already in 1964. Then its tests began on Lake Issyk-Kul, and two years later - on the Black Sea in the Feodosia region. The tests were found unsatisfactory. And the designers, step by step, taking into account the accumulated negative experience, created more and more new models. But they also did not fit into the strict framework of the technical specifications.

Only the sixth prototype passed the full test cycle and was recommended for mass production. In 1977, the torpedo was adopted by the Navy's submarine fleet.

Such a monstrous speed, the possibility of which the Americans did not believe for a long time, was achieved due to the cavitation effect. Scientific research in this area in the Soviet Union began in the late 40s in one of the branches of TsAGI. As a result, in the late 50s, scientists created a strict theory of cavitation motion and formulated recommendations for using its principles in the creation of high-speed underwater vehicles.

The essence of the cavitation effect is that a physical body (in this case, a torpedo) moves in an air bubble. Thus, during movement, the torpedo overcomes the resistance not of water, but of air. The bubble that envelops the torpedo on all sides is created by a steam-gas unit located in the bow.

In this case, the propellant is not a propeller or a water jet, but a jet stream from a solid fuel jet engine. That is, in essence, it turns out to be a kind of underwater jet flight. Moreover, the Shkval’s propulsion system is two-stage. First, the solid propellant accelerator accelerates the torpedo to the speed necessary for the cavitation effect to occur. After which the main engine is turned on - a ramjet hydrojet.

No less serious a problem than the implementation of cavitation motion for designers was the creation of an underwater jet engine. It is radically different from those used in both airplanes and missiles. It uses sea water as a working fluid and oxidizing agent. And the fuel is hydro-reacting metals.

In terms of speed, the requirements of the technical specifications were met. But the torpedo’s range could only be increased to 13 kilometers. The launch was carried out from a depth of 30 meters. The torpedo “flew” to the target at a depth of 6 meters. The warhead was originally nuclear and had a yield of 150 kilotons. Torpedo weight - 2700 kg, length - 8200 mm.

The torpedo was immediately called the “aircraft carrier killer.” But in fairness, this characteristic should also be supplemented by the fact that boats armed with Shkval with an enormous degree of probability should become suicides.

At enormous speed, the torpedo does not have a homing head. Which is caused by two objective circumstances. Firstly, any significant maneuvering at such a speed is impossible due to the fact that the vapor-gas bubble will be destroyed. Secondly, the torpedo makes a lot of noise and vibrates, and therefore the seeker will not be able to hear anyone or anything except its jet engine. That is, relatively speaking, a torpedo works in the same way as an artillery shell.

It is quite clear that before launching a rocket torpedo, the course of the enemy ship, its speed and other factors are taken into account. That is, the launch is carried out proactively. But it is small, since the “Storm” covers 13 kilometers in 130 seconds, which is a little more than two minutes. It is not easy for a large ship, and even more so an aircraft carrier, to make a maneuver during this time to avoid a collision with a torpedo. Not easy, but possible. Therefore, the first modification of the torpedo was equipped with a 150-kiloton nuclear warhead. And only later, when it came to reducing the arsenal of nuclear weapons, it was replaced with a high-explosive weapon weighing about a quarter of a ton.

A nuclear warhead shot from such a close range could destroy the submarine itself. There was another danger. Having fired a rocket torpedo, the boat revealed itself. The trace that the Shkval left on the surface of the water pinpointed its location.

The short range of the torpedo was fraught with another unpleasant circumstance. To attack an enemy aircraft carrier or large ship, the submarine had to enter the anti-submarine defense zone. And this reduced the chances of a successful operation.

That is, when the designers achieved phenomenal technical indicators, the torpedo turned out to be ineffective from a practical point of view. The result was a kind of weapon of psychic attack. And, in the end, “Shkval” was removed from service, giving preference to traditional torpedoes.

The ideas contained in Shkval were repeated by designers from two more countries. In 2005, Germany announced the creation of a supercavity torpedo, the Barracuda, which can reach speeds of up to 400 km/h. And two years ago, the commander of the Iranian Navy announced a torpedo with a speed of 320 km/h. But we are not talking about weapons ready for use, but about samples undergoing testing.

It is quite clear that the Predator is not a modification of the Storm. Because no one would give money to repeat the same tactical mistakes, slightly correcting them. And the money allocated is very serious. Only two co-executors of the Predator-M project (the aforementioned Elektropribor design bureau and the Saratov SEPO-ZEM plant) were allocated more than 1.5 billion rubles.

Therefore, we should expect that the torpedo will have a seeker and will be able to maneuver. The launch range and stealth of the torpedo will also increase. In the 60s, this was technically impossible. But science does not stand still. During the period of work on the Predator, 20 scientific papers were published on Elektropribor alone, and a number of patents were registered.

If all new scientific and technological achievements are embodied in metal, then, indeed, an ideal aircraft carrier killer should appear.

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Rossiyskaya Gazeta, with reference to Interfax, cites an interview on this issue with the General Director of the Tactical Missile Weapons Corporation, Boris Obnosov. This leader stated that the torpedo tests are planned to be carried out exactly as scheduled. Obnosov also said that in parallel with Shkval, his company is working on creating mini-torpedoes with artificial intelligence: low-speed, but absolutely invisible.

Weapons of Russia

Meanwhile, back in November 2017, RG.ru reported on the upcoming modernization of the Shkval missile-torpedo. The modernization of Shkval is included in the state armament program for 2018-2025, Boris Obnosov, head of the Tactical Missile Weapons Corporation, previously said.

The Shkval complex was put into service in 1977. The underwater missile's cruising speed of 375 kilometers per hour is achieved by moving in a cavitation cavity (steam bubble), which reduces water resistance, and by using an underwater jet engine powered by solid hydro-reacting fuel. The use of cavitation significantly reduces the possibilities for maneuver, and instead of a homing head, a receiver of sea water necessary for engine operation is installed in the nose of the rocket. Initially, Shkval was equipped with a thermonuclear warhead with a capacity of 150 kilotons, then a non-nuclear version with 210 kilograms of explosives appeared.

topwar.ru publishes the history of the creation of o-torpedo missiles, which will have significantly improved performance characteristics.

Initially, the VA-111 Shkval, equipped with both conventional and nuclear charges, was forward-moving (unguided), had a range of up to 13 kilometers and reached a speed of up to 100 meters per second under water.

The portal "Military Review" wrote in detail about this product in 2012. The creation of a missile torpedo begins with the SV decree No. 111-463 of 1960. The main designer of the missile-torpedo is Research Institute No. 24, today known as SNPP Region. A sketch of the project was prepared by 1963, at which time the project was approved for development. Design data of the new torpedo:
- range of use up to 20 kilometers;
- speed on the march is almost 200 knots (100 meters per second);
- unification for standard TA;

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

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

The creation of a missile torpedo begins with the SV decree No. 111-463 of 1960. The main designer of the missile-torpedo is Research Institute No. 24, today known as SNPP Region. A sketch of the project was prepared by 1963, at which time the project was approved for development. Design data of the new torpedo:
- range of use up to 20 kilometers;
- speed on the march is almost 200 knots (100 meters per second);
- unification for standard TA;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Additional information – Iranian “Shkval”
In 2006, Iran conducted exercises in the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, which caused “outrage” in NATO military circles. And after testing a high-speed underwater missile, the Pentagon became seriously alarmed and was ready to use an “action of intimidation.” But soon information appears that the Iranian high-speed underwater missiles “Hoot” are a copy of the Soviet “Shkval”. In all characteristics and even in appearance, this is the Russian Shkval missile torpedo. Due to its short range, the missile is not classified as an offensive weapon. But its use in the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf will be very effective for Iran due to the fairly small size of the straits. This weapon will completely block the exit from the Persian Gulf, and most of the oil from the region passes through it. According to some military experts, the Soviet-Russian Shkval missile entered Iran from China. China received Shkval from the Soviet Union back in the 90s.

Main characteristics:
- weight - 2.7 tons;
- caliber – 533.4 mm;
- length - 800 centimeters;
- range up to 13 kilometers;
- marching depth - 6 meters;
- possible launch depth up to 30 meters;
- the weight of the warhead is not less than 210 kilograms;

P.S. Currently, the Shkval submarine missile is not used in the Russian Navy. The Shkval can be equipped with a warhead with a nuclear charge (the weight of the nuclear warhead is 150 kg), which puts the Shkval into the class of tactical nuclear weapons.