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From: silber@m.cs.uiuc.edu (Ami A. Silberman)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Torpedoing Battleships
Message-ID: <1991May24.030530.9379@amd.com>
Date: 23 May 91 21:04:00 GMT
References: <1991May23.054849.13718@amd.com>
Sender: military@amd.com
Organization: University of Illinois, Dept. of Comp. Sci., Urbana, IL
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Approved: military@amd.com


From: silber@m.cs.uiuc.edu (Ami A. Silberman)


buckland@ucs.ubc.ca (Tony Buckland) writes:
>In the debate over whether or not Rodney torpedoed Bismarck, I
>note the side issue emerging of whether surface-ship-launched
>torpedos did any damage to Bismarck.  Are modern torpedos
>available in a specialized type for this kind of armor-piercing
>role, in the same way that tanks carry rounds specifically
>designed to penetrate the armor of other tanks?

There are torpedoes specialized for anti-submarine and for 
anti-shipping roles.  I'm not sure why they are incapable of being
used in a pinch in both roles.  (Most of the US surface launched
and helicopter launched torpedoes are designed to take out subs,
presumably because you really shouldn't get a DD or heli that close
to the enemy.)  You don't really need armor piercing torpedoes for
several reasons.

1) There are exactly four ships that have enough belt armor to worry
about.  (The US BBs)

2) When firing at surface ships the idea is to have the torpedo 
explode near the keel, where armor is thinner.  Acoustic homing
torpedos tend to impact near the screws.

3) If the ship is compartmentalized, with fuel or coal bunkers,
you probably won't be able to penetrate the inner hull anyway.

4) Torpedos rely upon the explosion to cause damage.  They aren't
going fast enough to make a hole before exploding.  HEAT rounds won't
work because the purpose is not to make a hole (which HEAT rounds
against tanks are supposed to do), but to make a big hole.

-- 
ami silberman - janitor of lunacy
	silber@cs.uiuc.edu