Re: Tropedos, are they still useful in a surface battle?
Of course this is all a matter of distance/sonar conditions. In short ranges and/or good sonar condtions doors opening betray the bearing. However, the noice level of a shkval runing is not really comparable of that of a ordinary torpedo. The shkval is also, probably, a straight running torpedo without any homing device, meaning that, as opposed to a ordinary torpedo which can turn after launch, you can plot the bearing to the vessel it was fired from exactly.
Now, the most simple question I think when discussing this matter is, 'why on earth is the Russian Navy (and soon the German) the only one with super-cavitating torepdoes if they are the war winning weapon they are claimed to be?" The US perhaps has been quite conservative, their Mk-48 works so they haven't been intersted in any newer models. But what about the RN? They have developed several new world class torpedos over the years.
Of course this is all a matter of distance/sonar conditions. In short ranges and/or good sonar condtions doors opening betray the bearing. However, the noice level of a shkval runing is not really comparable of that of a ordinary torpedo. The shkval is also, probably, a straight running torpedo without any homing device, meaning that, as opposed to a ordinary torpedo which can turn after launch, you can plot the bearing to the vessel it was fired from exactly.
Now, the most simple question I think when discussing this matter is, 'why on earth is the Russian Navy (and soon the German) the only one with super-cavitating torepdoes if they are the war winning weapon they are claimed to be?" The US perhaps has been quite conservative, their Mk-48 works so they haven't been intersted in any newer models. But what about the RN? They have developed several new world class torpedos over the years.
