The Type 89 torpedo (development name G-RX2) is a
Japanese submarine
A submarine (often shortened to sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. (It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability.) The term "submarine" is also sometimes used historically or infor ...
-launched homing
torpedo
A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, such ...
produced by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Together with the
Harpoon, it replaced the unguided
Type 72. Development was done by the Technical Research and Development Institute, a department of the
Ministry of Defense, and began in 1970, with the design completed by 1984. Developed from the
Type 80, it is similar in its capabilities to the United States
Mark 48 ADCAP. After being formally approved in 1989 and named "Type 89", it entered service and is currently carried aboard the ''
Oyashio'', and ''
Sōryū'' class submarines. It was also carried by the ''
Yuushio'' and ''
Harushio'' class submarine before they were retired from active service in 2006 and 2017 respectively.
It is a wire-guided torpedo that features both active and passive homing modes. Compared to Mk-48 (ADCAP) torpedo, it is slightly longer (6.25 m to 5.79 m) and heavier (1,760 kg to 1,676 kg), but has a smaller warhead (267 kg to 295 kg). However, it can be used at a greater depth (900 m ''vs.'' 800 m for the Mk-48).
The successor to the Type 89 torpedo was developed under the development name "G-RX6" and officially named
Type 18 (
ja) in 2018. The
Taigei-class submarine is equipped with a number of Type 18 torpedoes.
Specifications
* Length: 6,250 mm (20.51 ft)
* Weight: 1,760 kg (3,900 lb)
* Diameter: 533 mm (21 in)
* Warhead: 267 kg (590 lb)
* Speed: maximum possibly
* Range: at , at .
* Operating depth: 900 m
References
* ''Jane's Underwater Warfare Systems 2006-2007''.
{{Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Torpedoes of Japan
Post–Cold War weapons of Japan
Type 89
Military equipment introduced in the 1980s