Mark 48 torpedo

For the machine gun, see Mk 48 machine gun.

Mark 48 torpedo
Technicians perform maintenance on a Mark 48 torpedo in 1982.
Type	Heavyweight torpedo
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1971–present (Mod 1)^[1] 1988–present (ADCAP) 2008-present Mod 7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS)
Used by	United States Navy Brazilian Navy Royal Australian Navy Royal Canadian Navy Royal Netherlands Navy
Production history
Designer	Gould, Inc.^[1] Naval Surface Warfare Center
Designed	1967^[1]
Manufacturer	Gould/Honeywell (Mod 1) Hughes Aircraft (ADCAP)
Unit cost	$894,000 (USD 1978)^[2] $3,500,000 (ADCAP) (1988)^[3] $3,800,000 (CBASS)^[4]
Specifications
Weight	3,434 lb (1,558 kg) (original), 3,695 lb (1,676 kg) (ADCAP)
Length	19 ft (5.79 m)^[5]
Diameter	21 in (533 mm)^[5]

Effective firing range	38 km (24 mi; 21 nmi) at 55 kn (63 mph; 102 km/h) or 50 km (31 mi; 27 nmi) at 40 kn (46 mph; 74 km/h) (estimated),^[5]^[6] officially "greater than 5 miles (4.3 nmi; 8.0 km)"^[7]
Warhead	high explosive plus unused fuel
Warhead weight	650 lb (295 kg)^[5]
Detonation mechanism	proximity fuze

Engine	swash-plate piston engine; pump jet
Propellant	Otto fuel II
Maximum depth	500 fathoms,^[5] 800 m (estimated),^[6] officially "greater than 1200 ft"^[8]
Speed	55 kn (63 mph; 102 km/h)^[5] (estimated)^[6] officially "greater than 28 kn (32 mph; 52 km/h)"^[7]
Guidance system	Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System

The Mark 48 and its improved Advanced Capability (ADCAP) variant are American heavyweight submarine-launched torpedoes. They were designed to sink deep-diving nuclear-powered submarines and high-performance surface ships.

History

The Mk-48 torpedo was designed at the end of the 1960s to keep up with the advances in Soviet submarine technology. Operational since 1972, it replaced the Mk-37 and Mk-14 torpedoes as the principal weapon of U.S. Navy submarines.^[3] With the entry into service of the new Soviet Alfa class submarine in 1972, the decision was made to accelerate the ADCAP program, which would bring significant modifications to the torpedo. Tests were run to ensure that the weapon could keep up with the developments and the weapon was modified with improved acoustics and electronics. The new version of the weapon, also known as Mk-48 Mod 4, was extensively tested and production started in 1985, with entry into service in 1988. From then on, various upgrades have been added to the torpedo. As of 2012 Mk-48 Mod 6 was in service; a Mod 7 version was test fired in 2008 in the Rim of Pacific Naval exercises. The inventory of the U.S. Navy is 1,046 Mk-48 torpedoes.^[6]

Deployment

The Mk-48 torpedo is designed to be launched from submarine torpedo tubes. The weapon is carried by all U.S. Navy submarines, including Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines and Seawolf-, Los Angeles-, and Virginia-class attack submarines. It is also used on Canadian, Australian, and Dutch submarines. The Royal Navy elected not to buy the Mark 48, preferring to use the Spearfish instead.

Mk-48 and Mk-48 ADCAP torpedoes can be guided from a submarine by wires attached to the torpedo. They can also use their own active or passive sensors to execute programmed target search, acquisition, and attack procedures. The torpedo is designed to detonate under the keel of a surface ship, breaking the ship's back and destroying its structural integrity. In the event of a miss, it can circle back for another attempt.

Propulsion

The swashplate piston engine is fueled by Otto fuel II, a monopropellant that decomposes into hot gas when ignited, which drives the engine. The thrust is generated by a propulsor assembly.

Sensors and improvements

The torpedo's seeker has an active electronically steered "pinger" (2D phased array sonar) that helps avoid having to maneuver as it closes with the target. Unconfirmed reports indicate that the torpedo's sensors can monitor surrounding electrical and magnetic fields. This may refer to the electromagnetic coils on the warhead (at least from 1977 to 1981), used to sense the metallic mass of the ship's hull and detonate at the proper stand-off distance.

The torpedo has been the subject of continued improvement over its service lifetime. In the 1990s, a Mod 6 variant of the ADCAP provided much improved noise isolation for the engine, which makes this torpedo more difficult to detect for a potential target.

The Mk48 Mod 7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS) torpedo is optimized for both the deep and littoral waters and has advanced counter-countermeasure capabilities. The MK48 ADCAP Mod 7 (CBASS) torpedo is the result of a Joint Development Program with the Royal Australian Navy and reached Initial Operational Capability in 2006.^[8]

On July 25, 2008 a MK 48 Mod 7 CBASS torpedo fired by an Australian Collins-class submarine successfully sank a test target during the Rim of the Pacific 2008 (RIMPAC) exercises.^[9]^[10]

In 2015 the USN announced plans to restart production and seek a more modular design.^[11]

Operators

Map with Mark 48 operators in blue

Current operators

References

1 2 3 Jolie, E.W. (15 September 1978). "A Brief History of US Navy Torpedo Development: Torpedo Mine Mk48". Retrieved 21 June 2013.
↑ Polmar, Norman. "The Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet: Torpedoes". United States Naval Institute Proceedings, November 1978, p.159.
1 2 "MK 48". Federation of American Scientists Military Analysis Network. www.fas.org. Retrieved 2011-04-06.
↑ http://www.deagel.com/Torpedoes/Mark-48-CBASS_a001143002.aspx
1 2 3 4 5 6 Thomas, Vincent C. The Almanac of Seapower 1987 Navy League of the United States (1987) ISBN 0-9610724-8-2 p.190
1 2 3 4 "Mk 48 ADCAP". Jane's Naval Forces News. www.janes.com. Retrieved 2011-04-06.
1 2 "Mk 48 Torpedo". Unofficial US Navy site. www.navysite.de. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
1 2 "US Navy Fact File: Heavyweight Torpedo - Mark 48 ", US Navy, 17 January 2009, Retrieved 10 March 2010.
↑ "Aussie sub sinks US Warship ", SMH, 25 July 2008
↑ "BBC Video: Torpedo test sinks US ship". BBC. July 24, 2008. Retrieved 2011-04-06.
↑ Eckstein, Megan (29 October 2015). "Navy Planning Torpedo Restart, Would Be Modular Design With Multiple Payloads". news.usni.org (USNI). Retrieved 29 October 2015.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mark 48 torpedo.

U.S. Navy torpedoes

Pre-World War II	Howell Mark 1 torpedo Whitehead Mark 1 torpedo Whitehead Mark 1B torpedo Whitehead Mark 2 torpedo Whitehead Mark 2C torpedo Whitehead Mark 3 torpedo Bliss-Leavitt Mark 1 torpedo Bliss-Leavitt Mark 2 torpedo Bliss-Leavitt Mark 3 torpedo Bliss-Leavitt Mark 4 torpedo Whitehead Mark 5 torpedo Bliss-Leavitt Mark 6 torpedo Bliss-Leavitt Mark 7 torpedo Short Mark 7 torpedo Bliss-Leavitt Mark 8 torpedo Bliss-Leavitt Mark 9 torpedo Mark 10 torpedo Mark 11 torpedo Mark 12 torpedo

World War II	Mark 13 torpedo Mark 14 torpedo Mark 15 torpedo Mark 16 torpedo Mark 17 torpedo Mark 18 torpedo Mark 19 torpedo Mark 20 torpedo Mark 21 torpedo Mark 21 Mod 2 torpedo Mark 22 torpedo Mark 23 torpedo Mark 24 mine Mark 25 torpedo Mark 26 torpedo Mark 27 torpedo Mark 28 torpedo Mark 29 torpedo Mark 30 torpedo mine Mark 31 torpedo

Post-World War II	Mark 32 torpedo Mark 33 torpedo Mark 34 torpedo Mark 35 torpedo Mark 36 torpedo Mark 37 torpedo Mark 39 torpedo Mark 43 torpedo Mark 44 torpedo Mark 45 torpedo Mark 46 torpedo Mark 48 torpedo Mark 50 torpedo Mark 54 MAKO Lightweight Torpedo

Related topics	Bliss-Leavitt torpedo Schwartzkopff torpedo Whitehead torpedo

See also: AUM-N-2 Petrel, Mark 60 CAPTOR, RUR-5 ASROC, RUM-139 VL-ASROC and UUM-125 Sea Lance

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