Home > VA-111 Shkval torpedo
The VA-111 Shkval torpedo and its descendants are supercavitating torpedoes, developed by the Russian navy, which are capable of speeds in excess of several hundred knots.There are at least three variants:
- VA-111 Shkval - Original variant; believed to be unguided (or perhaps tracking but largely unmaneuverable)
- "Shkval 2" - Modern variant; believed to be guided, possibly via the use of vectored thrust, and with much longer range.
- A "lite" version currently being exported to various world navies.
The torpedo does carry a conventional explosive payload, though this might not be required in many situations due to the high kinetic energy attained by the torpedo at its peak speed. A nuclear warhead is a possibility, but has not been confirmed.
See supercavitation for more complete information.
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