Posted on 06/22/2008 4:53:35 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Australian warship tests new torpedo
Jeanette Stephen
An Australian warship has successfully test fired a new torpedo designed to track and attack submarines.
The Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) has successfully test fired the new MU90 Lightweight Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Torpedo from HMAS Toowoomba.
The test firing occurred at sea approximately 30 kilometres off Mandurah in Western Australia.
“While the MU90 Lightweight Torpedo has been successfully tested in Europe, this Acceptance Test and Evaluation exercise represents the first time an MU90 Lightweight Torpedo has been fired from an Australian warship,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.
Mr Fitzgibbon said the exercise was a milestone for the DMO’s Joint Project 2070, Project Djimindi.
“The new MU90 Lightweight Torpedo will provide a significant upgrade to the Anti-Submarine Warfare capabilities of the surface combatant platforms of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), including the RAN’s FFG and ANZAC frigates."
The MU90 Lightweight ASW Torpedo is three metres long, weighs 300 kilograms, has a range of greater than 10 kilometres and is designed to track and attack quiet submarines at depths to more than 1,000 metres.
Impressive stats, especially in view of China's upramping of their naval capabilities.
Can it function in an anti-torpedo role?
Yes, the MU90 does have a hard-kill anti-torpedo ability.
HMAS Toowoomba.
LOL! Sorry.
Yeah I know. That’s a patrol boat name, not a frigate name.
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