The APR-3E airborne light
ASW acoustic homing
torpedo is designed by Russian
Tactical Missiles Corporation JSC to engage current and future submarines at depth from the surface down to 800 metres at speed of up to 43+ knots, and it is a replacement for earlier APR-2 light antisubmarine acoustic homing torpedo.
APR-3E airborne light antisubmarine acoustic homing torpedo is designed to be carried by a various fixed wing and rotary wing platforms including
Tu-142,
Il-38
The Ilyushin Il-38 "Dolphin" (NATO reporting name: May) is a maritime patrol aircraft and anti-submarine warfare aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. It was a development of the Ilyushin Il-18 turboprop transport.
Design and development
The ...
,
Ka-28
The Kamov Ka-27 (NATO reporting name 'Helix') is a military helicopter developed for the Soviet Navy, and currently in service in various countries including Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam, China, South Korea, and India. Variants include the Ka-29 ...
and other aircraft. The torpedo requires at least 100 metres depth of water for the initial air-drop and can be deployed in conditions up to sea state 6.
Once entering water, the control surfaces of the torpedo enable the torpedo to travel in a spiral path with the help of gravity without starting the engine. During this stage, the acoustic seeker of the
torpedo searches for targets. Once the target is identified, the engine starts and solid propellant rocket engine ensures the target has virtually very little or no time to react, thus increasing the kill probability.
Newest version of this torpedo is the APR-3M, with modified characteristics. Trials of the APR-3M missile have been completed, the process of its serial production has been organized and its deliveries to the
Ministry of Defence of Russia are underway as of May 2019.
Users: Russia purchased a small number of APR-3 for
its navy, while China was reported to be the first export customer when APR-3E was part of the Chinese
Be-200
The Beriev Be-200 ''Altair'' (russian: Бериев Бе-200) is a utility amphibious aircraft designed and built by the Beriev Aircraft Company. Marketed as being designed for fire fighting, search and rescue, maritime patrol, cargo, and pas ...
ASW aircraft purchase package.
Specifications
*Designation: APR-3E light
ASW torpedo (Manufacturer calls the weapon as a missile instead)
*Manufacturer: Region Scientific and Production Enterprise JSC division of the Tactical Missiles Corporation Joint Stock Co.
*Speed: > 56
kn
*Range: > 3 km
*Diameter: 350 mm
*Length: 3.685 m
*Weight: 525 kg (another 25 kg for accessory for aircraft deployment)
*Propulsion: solid-propellant rocket-powered turbo-waterjet
*Fuze: impact and proximity
*Warhead: 74 kg
*Seeker: acoustic
*Seeker range: 1.5 km – 2 km
*Maximum target speed: > 43 kn
See also
*
A244-S
The A244-s is an Italian lightweight, fire-and-forget torpedo employed for anti-submarine warfare. It can be launched from surface vessels or from aircraft, and locates the target by means of an acoustic seeker.
Description
The torpedo uses ...
- Italian equivalent
*
Mark 54 Lightweight Torpedo - US Navy's equivalent
*
MU90 Impact - French/Italian equivalent
*
Sting Ray (torpedo) - British equivalent
*
TAL Shyena - Indian equivalent
*
Yu-7 torpedo
The Yu-7 (; from ) is a lightweight torpedo developed by the People's Republic of China. It entered service in the 1990s as the principal anti-submarine weapon of major People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships. The Yu-7 is a derivative of the ...
- Chinese equivalent
*
K745 Chung Sang Eo - South Korean equivalent
*
Type 97 light weight torpedo (G-RX4) - Japanese equivalent
References
{{Reflist
APR-3E"Development of Rocket Torpedoes" Geoff Kirby (2000)
Torpedoes of Russia
Aerial torpedoes
Tactical Missiles Corporation products
Military equipment introduced in the 2000s