The US Navy plans to get into service with a new light torpedo
The US Navy intends to announce a tender for the creation of a new light torpedo. The official start of the tender is scheduled to be announced at the end of September this year.
The US Navy plans to receive a new light torpedo, which will significantly increase the power of the US Navy and will be capable of not only hitting enemy submarines, but also intercepting torpedoes launched by them. It is assumed that the development of a new ammunition will take place as part of the program for creating a compact weapons fast attack CRAW (Compact Rapid Attack Weapon).
Initially, the tender was planned to be announced in January 2021, but then the deadline was postponed due to the lack of the necessary funds. At the moment, it is known about the only large company that decided to take part in the tender. According to Northrop Grumman, the company intends to tender a project of a privately developed mini-torpedo VLWT (Very Lightweight Torpedo).
According to various sources, the mass of the prototype of the new ammunition ranges from 99 to 104 kg. To set the torpedo in motion, a SCEPS closed-cycle steam turbine ESA is used, based on the use of the heat of the exothermic reaction of molten lithium and sulfur hexafluoride. Other development details are not provided.
According to the company, not only P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft and multi-purpose helicopters, but also carrier-based ones can become carriers of the new torpedo Drones. It was previously stated that the first carriers of the new torpedo could be Virginia-class submarines, which would receive a special launch module for mini-torpedoes.
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