Kursk Destroyed By Cavitation Missles?

A reader submitted: "One of Russia's biggest independent TV networks, NTV, broadcast at about 22:20pm that the developers of the Shkval torpedo system (which was discussed here on July 23rd) claim that Kursk was testing their torpedoes, and one of them accidentially homed on the sub itself. It was also mentioned that the torpedo can travel at the speed of 200 knots. What could it mean to the development of the supersonic underwater devices? It seems that even before corporations get to science, blood does." I just saw this on the news as well, and a number of readers submitted this over the last few days.

Comments

Sigh....

[sdo1]

Didn't they learn anything from Hunt for Red October?

Probably Not True

[scotpurl]

Since a fast torpedo goes fast and turns slowly -- I doubt that it got turned around.

More likely they've got the same problems that plagued the US torpedo inventory during the 50's and 60's. Namely, spontaneous arming. One of the US subs was lost in the Atlantic owing to a torpedo that armed itself in the tube.

Hope the engineer that built that one feels at least slightly guilty.

Re:Probably Not True

[Macgruder]

>>More likely they've got the same problems that plagued the US torpedo inventory during the 50's and 60's. Namely, spontaneous arming. One of the US subs was lost in the Atlantic owing to a torpedo that armed itself in the tube.

It sounds like you are refering to the dimise of the USS Scorpion. While the batteries of the Mark 37 were known to overheat, and posssibly set off what is known as a 'low-order' cook off, there is little evidence to show this was what sunk the Scorpion.

Instead, it appears as though the inner door of the Scorpion's Trash Disposal Unit (TDU) failed. The outer door was already listed as out of commision. When it failed, there was approximately a 5 inch hole open to sea. Directly below this compartment are the lead-acid wet cell batteries that provided backup power. When sea water comes in contact with the battery acid, Chlorine and Hydrogen are the byproducts. Not to mention short circuiting the cells themselves. SPARK + HYDROGEN = BOOM.

The hole found in the operations compartment when they located wreck is located right next to where the batteries were located.

There is a bit more data, but I belive it's still classified.

My credentials? I'm a former submariner, and my father (also a submariner) was involved in the Scorpion's investigation.

Torpedo probably got

[AbbyNormal]

a BOD.
"Torpedo Program not responding. Press any key to return to submarine"

You are a unique individual, just like everyone else.

This looks like a job for the US Navy SEALS....

[cybrpnk]

Anybody want to start a betting pool ***(pun)*** on just how long before covert US Navy SEAL divers are roaming up and down the flooded passageways of this sub? It has never-before-seen surface-to-surface missiles designed to take out US aircraft carriers, maybe warp-speed torpedos, certainly top-of-the-line Russian crypto gear, in only 350 feet of international water. Project Jennifer raised a sub from miles down back in the early 70s, and a Russian boomer that sank due to internal fire off the coast of Bermuda in 1986 in thousands of feet of water mysteriously had the missile hatches peeled open and several missiles gone when a follow-on Russian oceanographic expedition photographed it a few months later. Hmm, wonder who did that? The Kursk is a piece of (very tempting) cake in comparison...

Anyone else find the humour here inappropriate?

[Jinker]

C'mon people, a hundred and some people died 9 or ten days ago and this thread's filled with all sorts of intellectual commentary such as:
'Das noogoodnick 0,0 coordinates are targeting torpedo at 127.0.0.1 and causing a bluescreen.'

The guys are DEAD. Even if it was some giant Russian cock-up, I don't think it's all that funny.

How amusing were all the morbid NASA jokes when the Challenger blew up?

-Greg