What is a torpedo? Modern torpedo: what is and what will be. Examples of the use of the word torpedo in literature

“Torpedo boat”, “torpedo tube”, “torpedo attack” - such phrases are not uncommon in books on the history of military operations at sea. But what does a “self-propelled underwater weapon” do on board a vehicle that is not at all going to attack a battleship? AutoVesti is trying to figure it out.

It would seem that “front panel” is a simple and understandable combination of two well-known words. Why not limit it to them? But from the owners of a variety of cars you hear every now and then - “torpedo”, “torpedo”... Moreover, the origin of this unofficial term is opaque: what can the front panel of a car have in common with the torpedo that a submarine fires towards an enemy ship?

It is worth saying that the French term torpille and words derived from it in other languages (including our “torpedo”) were used differently by motorists at different times. For example, at the beginning of the twentieth century, this was the name given to streamlined cigar-shaped bodies. This fact does not require any special explanation - it is obvious that the bodies resembled those same naval torpedoes in their shape - but it does not help clarify the issue with the dashboard.

In the twenties, thirties and forties, the word Torpedo was found in the names of many brands of cars. Perhaps the most striking of them was the American Tucker Torpedo, whose production began in 1947. Attention was drawn to it not only by the dynamic contours of the body, but also by the front panel. More precisely, its absence: all instruments and switches were grouped around the steering wheel, and the entire space between the front seats and the engine shield was at the disposal of passengers. However, this information does not clarify the question that interests us. How could a fashion for a word denoting a front panel be introduced by a car whose panel looked different from the vast majority of other cars - both those produced in those years and those produced now?

On Tucker Torpedo cars there was no front panel at all in the current sense of the word.

Therefore, the origins of the term “torpedo” should be sought not in the names of cars, but in the names of companies. More precisely, one company operating in Germany in the mid-twentieth century and specializing in the production of automotive instruments. As you might guess, the company was called Torpedo. Its instruments were often found on cars of various brands, so at first the word “dashboard” was used to refer to the dashboard, and then to the entire front panel.

A new section of AutoVesti is looking for answers to questions that almost every person who cares about cars has thought about more than once - they have thought about it, but have not found it necessary to spend time looking for answers. After all, these answers satisfy curiosity rather than bring practical benefit. But sometimes curiosity turns out to be no less a strong instinct than concern for one’s own well-being and comfort. Therefore, this week AutoVesti is publishing a daily answer to one of these questions. By the way, this will not be the first "week" simple questions": We are going to continue to look for answers - including answers to the questions you ask in the comments.

Modern torpedo - a formidable weapon for surface ships, naval aviation and submarines. It allows you to quickly and accurately deliver a powerful blow to the enemy at sea. This is an autonomous, self-propelled and controlled underwater projectile containing 0.5 tons of explosive or nuclear warhead.
Development secrets torpedo weapons is the most protected, because the number of states that own these technologies is even smaller than the members of the nuclear missile club.

There is information that the German Barracuda missile-torpedoes are capable of developing a higher speed than the Shkval, but for now Russian torpedoes of this type are more widespread. In general, the lag of conventional Russian torpedoes from foreign analogues reaches 20-30 years .

The main manufacturer of torpedoes in Russia is JSC Concern Marine Underwater Weapons - Gidropribor. This enterprise during the International Naval Show in 2009 (“IMMS-2009”) presented its developments to the public, in particular 533-mm universal remote-controlled electric torpedo TE-2. This torpedo is designed to destroy modern enemy submarines in any area of the World Ocean.

The TE-2 torpedo has the following characteristics:
— length with telecontrol coil (without coil) – 8300 (7900) mm;
- total weight - 2450 kg;
- mass of combat charge - 250 kg;
— the torpedo is capable of speeds from 32 to 45 knots at a range of 15 and 25 km, respectively;
- has a service life of 10 years.

The TE-2 torpedo is equipped with an acoustic homing system(active against surface targets and active-passive against underwater targets) and non-contact electromagnetic fuses, as well as a fairly powerful electric motor with a noise reduction device.

The TE-2 torpedo can be installed on submarines and ships of various types and at the request of the customer made in three different versions:
— the first TE-2-01 involves mechanical input of data on a detected target;
- second TE-2-02 electrical data input for a detected target;
— the third version of the TE-2 torpedo has smaller weight and dimensions with a length of 6.5 meters and is intended for use on NATO-style submarines, for example, on German Project 209 submarines.

Torpedo TE-2-02 was specially developed for arming Project 971 Bars class nuclear attack submarines, which carry missile and torpedo weapons. There is information that a similar nuclear submarine was purchased under contract by the Indian Navy.

The saddest thing is that a similar TE-2 torpedo does not already meet a number of requirements for such weapons, and is also inferior in its technical specifications foreign analogues. All modern Western-made torpedoes and even new Chinese-made torpedo weapons have hose remote control.

On domestic torpedoes, a towed reel is used - a rudiment of almost 50 years ago. Which actually puts our submarines under enemy fire with much greater effective firing distances.

The goal of any military action is to hit the enemy while remaining invulnerable. This definition of purpose was a necessary condition when developing new types of weapons. This was manifested in its most complete form during the creation marine species remote-action weapons, which led to the appearance of torpedoes in the fleet.

The predecessors of torpedoes were river floating mines, the inventor of which was a full member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences B. S. Jacobi.

Thanks to the creation of steam engines, pole and towed mines appeared. The first of them was attached to a ten-meter metal pole installed on board the boat. When the boat approached the enemy ship at a certain distance, the mine hit the side of the ship below the waterline. The second was towed on a cable, and had to be pulled so that it would hit the enemy ship. Since their use required getting close to the enemy, this was dangerous and not always feasible.

The creation of a self-propelled mine became possible after the advent of compact power plants (engines) running on compressed air.

In 1865, the Russian designer I.F. Aleksandrovsky proposed a project for a self-propelled projectile to the Navy Ministry. However, this development was considered premature. Three years later, Aleksandrovsky’s project was reviewed again, and the inventor was offered to make a mine at his own expense, with subsequent reimbursement of costs in the event of successful tests. But by this time, priority in creating a torpedo already belonged to the Englishman R. Whitehead.

In 1866, Whitehead, who worked in Austria-Hungary at a factory in the city of Fiume (now Rijeka), officially announced the self-propelled mine he had designed together with Lieutenant of the Austrian Navy I. Luppis, called “torpedo” (from the Latin word torpedo - "electric Stingray"). A year later, a prototype of the new weapon was made.

Aleksandrovsky succeeded in constructing his own torpedo in 1874, and he provided strong competition to Whitehead.

Tests have shown that Aleksandrovsky’s weapons are not inferior to foreign ones, and in some respects they are superior to them. Nevertheless, the Navy Ministry bought torpedoes abroad. In total, Russia acquired 250 foreign self-propelled mines.

During the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878. the young naval lieutenant S. O. Makarov, the future famous admiral, ensured that he was given four torpedoes (Whitehead mines), purchased before the war in Fiume. To launch them, a pipe was installed under the keel of one of the boats - a prototype of a torpedo tube; the other boat was supposed to launch a torpedo from a raft tied to the side.

January 14, 1878 went down in naval history as the date of the first successful torpedo strike. From a distance of 60 m, two boats simultaneously fired torpedoes. They hit the side of the Turkish patrol steamer Intibah. There was an explosion, then a strong crash from the broken ship. The steamer lay on the right side and quickly sank to the bottom. One or two minutes passed before the masts disappeared.

The Chesma and Sinop boats, from which the torpedoes were fired, are rightfully considered the founders of torpedo boats and group torpedo strike tactics. An important result of the bold attacks of Makarov and his associates was that Russian shipbuilders created another class of ships - destroyers. They could sail on the open sea and launch torpedo attacks on enemy ships there.

In the second half of the 19th century. the torpedo was one of the most convincing embodiments of the latest achievements of science and technology. Since their invention, torpedoes have been improved, and their parameters have improved significantly.

The experience of the First World War clearly showed that torpedo weapons are one of the most effective combat weapons of the fleet. During the period between the world wars, interest in this type of naval weapon increased even more. The search for new types of charges for torpedoes, fuses, flammable substances, engines, and homing systems continued.

A modern torpedo is a self-propelled, self-guided and self-homing underwater cigar-shaped projectile that carries a warhead (conventional or nuclear) at the head to destroy ships, destroy piers, docks and other objects.

Submarines, surface ships, and torpedo boats, airplanes, helicopters. On ships they are launched using torpedo tubes.

A torpedo tube is a device on ships for storing and firing torpedoes: a pipe with a diameter and length corresponding to the caliber of the fired torpedo, devices for entering data into the torpedo from the fire control system.

After World War II, the torpedo was improved, and its modernization acquired a clear anti-submarine focus. It was the homing torpedo projectile that became the main enemy of modern nuclear submarines. Currently, most torpedoes are anti-submarine or dual-purpose.

In the newest modifications of torpedoes, in addition to complex automation, computer technology, houses computers that control power plant, choosing the optimal driving mode, as well as a homing system. This makes it possible to recognize and classify targets, distinguish them from simulators and traps, and ensure that enemy military equipment reaches the most vulnerable point.

Currently, there is a serious increase in Russia's lag in the design and development of torpedo weapons. For a long time, the situation was somehow smoothed out by the presence in Russia of the Shkval missile-torpedoes, adopted in 1977; since 2005, similar weapons have appeared in Germany. There is information that the German Barracuda missile-torpedoes are capable of developing a higher speed than the Shkval, but for now Russian torpedoes of this type are more widespread. In general, the lag between conventional Russian torpedoes and foreign analogues reaches 20-30 years.

The main manufacturer of torpedoes in Russia is JSC Concern Morskoe Subdovanoye – Gidropribor. This enterprise, during the International Naval Show in 2009 (“IMMS-2009”), presented its developments to the public, in particular 533 mm. universal remote-controlled electric torpedo TE-2. This torpedo is designed to destroy modern enemy submarines in any area of the World Ocean.

The torpedo has the following characteristics: length with telecontrol coil (without coil) - 8300 (7900) mm, total weight - 2450 kg, warhead weight - 250 kg. The torpedo is capable of speeds from 32 to 45 knots at a range of 15 and 25 km, respectively, and has a service life of 10 years.

The torpedo is equipped with an acoustic homing system (active for surface targets and active-passive for underwater targets) and non-contact electromagnetic fuses, as well as a fairly powerful electric motor with a noise reduction device.

The torpedo can be installed on submarines and ships of various types and, at the request of the customer, is made in three different versions. The first TE-2-01 assumes mechanical, and the second TE-2-02 electrical input of data on a detected target. The third version of the TE-2 torpedo has smaller weight and dimensions with a length of 6.5 meters and is intended for use on NATO-type submarines, for example, on German Project 209 submarines.

The TE-2-02 torpedo was specially developed to arm Project 971 Bars class nuclear attack submarines, which carry missile and torpedo weapons. There is information that a similar nuclear submarine was purchased under contract by the Indian Navy.

The saddest thing is that such a torpedo already does not meet a number of requirements for such weapons, and is also inferior in its technical characteristics to foreign analogues. All modern Western-made torpedoes and even new Chinese-made torpedo weapons have hose remote control. On domestic torpedoes, a towed reel is used - a rudiment of almost 50 years ago. Which actually puts our submarines under enemy fire with much greater effective firing distances. Not one of the domestic torpedoes presented at the IMDS-2009 exhibition did not have a remote control hose reel; all of them were towed. In turn, all modern torpedoes are equipped with a fiber-optic guidance system, which is located on board the submarine, and not on the torpedo, which minimizes interference from false targets.

For example, the modern American long-range remote-controlled torpedo Mk-48, designed to hit high-speed underwater and surface targets, is capable of speeds of up to 55 and 40 knots at distances of 38 and 50 kilometers, respectively ( evaluate the capabilities of the domestic torpedo TE-2 45 and 32 knots at ranges of 15 and 25 km). The American torpedo is equipped with a multiple attack system, which is triggered when the torpedo loses its target. The torpedo is capable of independently detecting, capturing and attacking a target. The electronic content of the torpedo is configured in such a way that it allows it to hit enemy submarines in the area of the command post located behind the torpedo compartment.

Rocket torpedo "Shkval"

The only one positive thing At the moment, we can consider the transition in the Russian fleet from thermal to electric torpedoes and missile-fueled weapons, which are an order of magnitude more resistant to all kinds of disasters. Let us recall that the Kursk nuclear submarine with 118 crew members on board, which died in the Barents Sea in August 2000, sank as a result of a thermal torpedo explosion. Now torpedoes of the class with which the submarine missile carrier Kursk was armed have already been discontinued and are not in use.

The most likely development of torpedo weapons in the coming years will be the improvement of so-called cavitating torpedoes (aka rocket torpedoes). Their distinctive feature is the nasal disk with a diameter of about 10 cm, which creates an air bubble in front of the torpedo, which helps reduce water resistance and allows you to achieve acceptable accuracy at high speeds. An example of such torpedoes is the domestic missile-torpedo “Shkval” with a diameter of 533 mm, which is capable of reaching speeds of up to 360 km/h, the mass of the warhead is 210 kg, the torpedo does not have a homing system.

The spread of this type of torpedo is hampered, not least by the fact that at high speeds of their movement it is difficult to decipher hydroacoustic signals to control the missile-torpedo. Such torpedoes are used as propulsion instead of a propeller jet engine, which in turn makes them difficult to control; some types of such torpedoes can only move in a straight line. There is information that work is currently underway to create a new Shkval model, which will receive a homing system and increased weight of the warhead.

This section contains information about torpedo weapons, both domestically produced and foreign. You will be able to obtain information about the torpedoes that are currently in service, as well as about the types of these weapons that were used previously.

A torpedo is a self-propelled underwater projectile containing an explosive that is used to destroy enemy ships. A combat torpedo is a very complex mechanism, consisting of an engine, propellers or jet nozzle, control devices and a warhead.

Naval torpedoes today are one of the main types of weapons of surface ships and submarines. They are especially important for arming submarines.

Domestic historiography believes that the first torpedo was invented by the Russian designer Aleksandrov in 1865, but this project was not implemented in Russia. The first operational copy of this weapon was developed by the Englishman Whitehead in 1866; torpedoes were first used in combat in 1877.

Naval torpedoes became widespread already in the 20th century. Special ships appeared - destroyers, they had torpedo weapons, high speed and weak armor.

The Japanese actively used torpedo weapons in the Russo-Japanese War of 1905. The “finest hour” of torpedoes was the First World War and the appearance of the first submarines. Torpedoes became the main weapon of these warships. The first torpedoes operated using steam-gas units or compressed air, so they left a clearly visible trail behind them. This unmasked the torpedo and allowed enemy ships to evade them.

The electric torpedo was created by the Germans before the start of World War II. Submarines and torpedoes were also actively used in this conflict.

Modern torpedoes pose a mortal threat to any ship. They are much more dangerous than anti-ship missiles. The fact is that if during a rocket explosion some of the energy is dissipated, then all the energy of the torpedo explosion goes to destroy the ship’s hull. Torpedoes are less noticeable than missiles, they carry more explosive, and are very difficult to destroy while moving.

Modern torpedoes can be guided using sonar or controlled remotely from a ship via a special cable. This is exactly how many foreign torpedo weapons are designed, including torpedoes from the USA, Germany, and Great Britain. We have selected for you information about the latest trends in the development of torpedo weapons in different countries.

Russia is a manufacturer of torpedo weapons. During the Soviet era, a huge foundation was created in this direction; today the torpedoes of the Russian Navy are among the best in the world.

The Russian fleet is armed with a special torpedo that can hit the enemy at enormous speed - about 200 knots. This is the Shkval rocket torpedo missile.

To achieve such an unprecedented speed, Shkval uses an interesting physical principle - supercavitation. That is, while moving around the Shkval, a gas bubble is created, which significantly reduces the resistance of the aquatic environment. But this is not enough: to achieve such speed, a jet engine is installed on the torpedo instead of the usual propeller.

It should be noted that the development of modern torpedoes is moving along a slightly different path: designers are trying to increase their firing range, reduce noise and increase accuracy. Newest torpedoes Russian Navy and Western countries They have a range of tens of kilometers, they are controlled by cable, and they are very difficult to detect.

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