The power of the MK48 torpedo

[Chris196]

Im not normally into naval weapons, but I found this interesting:

http://www.vetsoutreach.com/GNey/Mark48/

http://www.vetsoutreach.com/GNey/Mark48/73.jpg
http://www.vetsoutreach.com/GNey/Mark48/74.jpg
http://www.vetsoutreach.com/GNey/Mark48/75.jpg
http://www.vetsoutreach.com/GNey/Mark48/76.jpg
http://www.vetsoutreach.com/GNey/Mark48/77.jpg
http://www.vetsoutreach.com/GNey/Mark48/78.jpg
http://www.vetsoutreach.com/GNey/Mark48/79.jpg
http://www.vetsoutreach.com/GNey/Mark48/80.jpg
http://www.vetsoutreach.com/GNey/Mark48/83.jpg

THE AWESOME POWER OF THE SUBMARINE LAUNCHED MARK-48 TORPEDO

On Monday June 14, 1999 the Australian Collins class submarine, HMAS Farncomb, fired a Mark-48 war-shot torpedo at the 28 year old former Destroyer Escort TORRENS.

The firing was part of the Collins class trials requirements and was designed to validate the submarine's combat system. The submerged Farncomb fired the Mark-48 torpedo at the stationary hulk of the 2700-ton Destroyer Escort from over the horizon. The plume of water and fragments shot some 150 meters skyward as the blast of the torpedo cut the ship in two.(pic 4 pic 5 pic 6 pic 7) The stern section sank rapidly after the torpedo hit ((pic 8 pic 9 pic 10 pic 11), the bow section remained afloat but sank sometime later.

The torpedo warhead contains explosive power equivalent to approximately 1200 pounds of TNT. This explosive power is maximized when the warhead detonates below the keel of the target ship, as opposed to striking it directly. When the detonation occurs below the keel, the resulting pressure wave of the explosion "lifts" the ship and can break its keel in the process. As the ship "settles" it is then seemingly hit by a second detonation as the explosion itself rips through the area of the blast. This combined effect often breaks smaller targets in half and can severely disable larger vessels.

The Mark-48 torpedo used in this test is a variation of the MK-48 ADCAP (Advanced Capability) torpedo developed for the United States Navy.

Photos and Mk-48 Torpedo information provided by Maritime Headquarters and DSTO Australia. Photos by PO Scott Connolly and AB Stuart Farrow.

Prepared by the NORTHERN CONNECTICUT SUBMARINE LIBRARY and MUSEUM

[Guttorm]

Torpedos KICK ASS! :D

http://www.22mtb.com/Video/tp613.mpg

Check it out...
Thats the ship I served on fireing.
Firing a swedish made TP 613 torpedo.

[Seiyuuki]

Torpedoes are cool...I never realize how big and heavy those suckers are until the day I got to see one on an Ohio-class submarine.

[Uncle Chô]

Torpedos KICK ASS! :D

Torpedoes are cool

:| Humm...

Think of the dozens of thousands people who died in the Atlantic during WWI, WWII and the Falklands because of the "cool", "kick ass" torpedoes. :bash:

Sometimes, I think some of you should write more appropriate terms for describing a weapon !

[Guttorm]

Hmm, well, I don't see you telling the people who admire the M14 or the M16 the same thing... IT is also a weapon, and has also killed SEVERAL.


AND, the weapon IS effective, so me being a navy man, I give myself all reason to say that the weapon "kick ass", just as an army guy can say that the howitzer or the MILAN kick ass.

And I have nothing but respect for those the fought and died during those conflicts.

[mustamato]

http://www.vetsoutreach.com/GNey/Mark48/78.jpg

What is that red... lifejackets? :)

"Oops bloody mate, we forgot to evacuate the sailors..."

[Guttorm]

Heh, most likely it's rust... :)

[Gauntlet]

Im not normally into naval weapons, but I found this interesting:

http://www.vetsoutreach.com/GNey/Mark48/

http://www.vetsoutreach.com/GNey/Mark48/73.jpg
http://www.vetsoutreach.com/GNey/Mark48/74.jpg


Heh... Look how the smoke comes out the chimney first

[Falco]

Torpidoes are huge, no wonder they can cause that much damage to a ship.

[Pandy]

Ohio Class Submarines can pack a beating ;)

14 Ohio Class Subs in commission as strategic missile submarines
24 Trident I or II Missiles per submarine.
8 to 12 MIRVs per Trident I or II.

14 Subs x 24 Tridents x 8 MIRVs = 2688 Nuclear Warheads
14 Subs x 24 Tridents x 12 MIRVs = 4032 Nuclear Warheads.

Ohio Class Sub can hold a max of 192 to 288 warheads.

http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/ohio/images/ohio5.jpg

http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/ohio/images/ohio8.jpg

[Seiyuuki]

Torpedos KICK ASS! :D

Torpedoes are cool

:| Humm...

Think of the dozens of thousands people who died in the Atlantic during WWI, WWII and the Falklands because of the "cool", "kick ass" torpedoes. :bash:

Sometimes, I think some of you should write more appropriate terms for describing a weapon !

Yes...and euphemism is so much better. :bash: