MK 46 Torpedo

The Mark 46 torpedo is the backbone of the United States Navy's lightweight anti-submarine warfare torpedo inventory and is the NATO standard. These aerial torpedoes are designed to attack high-performance submarines. In 1989, an improvement program for the Mod 5 to the Mod 5A and Mod 5A(S) increased its shallow-water performance. The Mark 46 was initially developed as Research Torpedo Concept I (RETORC I), one of several weapons recommended for implementation by Project Nobska, a 1956 summer study on submarine warfare.

File:Mark-46-prop.jpg, A Mark 46 Mod 5A torpedo is inspected aboard the guided missile destroyer USS ''Mustin''.
File:Lynx mk46.jpg, A French ''Lynx'' helicopter carrying a Mk 46 torpedo.
File:P-8A Poseidon of VP-16 dropping torpedo in 2013.JPG, A P-8A Poseidon of VP-16 dropping a Mark 46 torpedo

Design details

Variants

* Mod 0: One of the original versions of 1960 (production started 1963). Solid propellent piston engine. Gyro/wire guidance with passive/active homing.
* Mod 1: Based on Mod 0. 1967. Uses liquid Otto fuel piston engine. Laminar search guidance. Phase 1 of 1968 uses stronger hull to resist deeper waters. Phase 2 of 1971 uses a new homing program able to detect submarines near the surface.
* Mod 2: Based on Mod 1 phase 2. More powerful Mk 103 Mod 1 warhead. Improved computer with snake search pattern capability. Known to have been captured by China in 1978.
* Mod 4: Version for use as Mark 60 CAPTOR mine payload.
* Mod 5: 1979 upgrade kit for Mod 2, also known as NEARTIP (near-term improvement program). New passive/active sonar, liquid fuel and two speed engine for low speed search and high speed attack.
** Mod 5A: Cheaper NEARTIP upgrade kit for Mod 1 and Mod 2 with improved shallow-water performance. 1980s.
** Mod 5A(S): Variant of 5A that allows use in water as shallow as 40 m.
** Mod 5A(SW): Latest variant from 1996 Service Life Extension Program. Boasts improved counter-countermeasure performance, enhanced target acquisition, provides a bottom-avoidance preset, and improved maintainability and reliability.
* Mod 6: Version for Mark 60 CAPTOR, with some NEARTIP components.
* Mod 7: Cancelled. Not funded by Congress.

For most variants there is also an inert REXTORP (recoverable exercise torpedo) version.

Specifications

; Mark 46, Mod 5
* Primary Function: Air and ship-launched lightweight torpedoThomas, Vincent C. ''The Almanac of Seapower 1987'' Navy League of the United States (1987) pp.190-191
* Contractor: Alliant Techsystems
* Power Plant: Two-speed, reciprocating external combustion; Mono-propellant (Otto fuel II)
* Length: tube launch configuration (from ship),Polmar, Norman "The Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet: Torpedoes" ''United States Naval Institute Proceedings'' November 1978 p.160 with ASROC rocket booster
* Weight: (warshot configuration)
* Diameter:
* Range:
* Depth: >
* Speed: >
* Guidance System: Homing mode: Active or passive/active acoustic homing
* Launch/search mode: Snake or circle search
* Warhead: of PBXN-103 high explosive (bulk charge)
* Date Deployed: 1967 (Mod 0); 1979 (Mod 5)

Yu-7 variant

The Chinese Yu-7 torpedo is said to be based on the Mk 46 Mod 2. The Chinese Navy used the Yu-7 ASW torpedo, deployed primarily on ships and ASW helicopters,(Chinese language)
but it started to be replaced by the Yu-11 in 2012.

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See also

* Advanced Light Torpedo Shyena
* CAPTOR mine (a sea mine which incorporates a Mk 46 torpedo)
* MU90 Impact torpedo
* Mark 50 torpedo
* Mark 54 MAKO Lightweight Torpedo
* Stingray torpedo

References

External links

DiGiulian, Tony, Navweaps.com: USA Torpedoes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mark 46 Torpedo
Aerial torpedoes
Cold War anti-submarine weapons of the United States
Military equipment introduced in the 1960s
Torpedoes of the United Kingdom
Torpedoes of the United States