DM2A4 Seehecht (export designation "''SeaHake mod 4''" ) is the latest heavyweight

torpedo A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, and with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, su ...

developed by

Atlas Elektronik Atlas Elektronik is a naval/marine electronics and systems business based in Bremen, Germany. It is involved in the development of integrated sonar systems for submarines and heavyweight torpedoes. The company was a subsidiary of BAE System ...

for the

German Navy The German Navy (, ) is the navy of Germany and part of the unified ''Bundeswehr'' (Federal Defense), the German Armed Forces. The German Navy was originally known as the ''Bundesmarine'' (Federal Navy) from 1956 to 1995, when ''Deutsche Mari ...

, as a further update of DM2 (Deutsches Modell 2) torpedo which was released in 1976.

Description

Being the successor of the

DM2A3 DM, Dm, dm, or D.M. may stand for: Academic titles and postnominals * Dame of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, a chivalric order * Doctor of Management, an academic management degree * Doctor of Medicine, an academic medical degree * Docto ...

, it features an advanced electrical propulsion system and a

fiber optic cable A fiber-optic cable, also known as an optical-fiber cable, is an assembly similar to an electrical cable, but containing one or more optical fibers that are used to carry light. The optical fiber elements are typically individually coated with ...

for torpedo guidance and communication, which, in conjunction with advanced signals processing and mission logic, makes the torpedo largely countermeasure resistant. The DM2A4/SeaHake mod 4 is the first torpedo ever to be guided by a fiber optic wire. With a fully digital system architecture, increased range and speed and its new conformal array sonar with a very wide panoramic sensor angle as well as the additional

wake homing Wake homing is a torpedo guidance technique based on the wake trajectory left behind a moving target. The torpedo is fired to cross behind the stern of the target ship, through the wake. As it does so, it uses sonar to look for changes in the ...

sensor, the DM2A4/SeaHake mod 4 provides greatly advanced performance over its predecessor. The homing head shell is a hydrodynamic optimised parabolic shape which aims to reduce torpedo self-noise and cavitation to an absolute minimum. The homing head's conformal transducer array permits detection angles of +/-100° in the horizontal and +/-24° in the vertical, therefore supporting larger acquisition angles in comparison to traditional flat arrays. The wide angle array is designed to reduce maneuvering when in search and reconnaissance stages, therefore also reducing self-noise and preserving battery power. The weapon has a modular design that includes up to four

silver zinc battery A silver zinc battery is a secondary cell that utilizes silver(I,III) oxide and zinc. Overview Silver zinc cells share most of the characteristics of the silver-oxide battery, and in addition, is able to deliver one of the highest specific energ ...

modules and is able to achieve a range of more than 50 km (27 nmi) and a speed exceeding 92.6 km/h (50 kn) powered by a high frequency permanent magnet motor, with a closed-loop cooling system independent from the environment. Exact performance data are classified. The torpedo design template may also be used as the basis for ROV. The weapon is armed with a 260 kg PBX, (

RDX RDX (abbreviation of "Research Department eXplosive") or hexogen, among other names, is an organic compound with the formula (O2N2CH2)3. It is a white solid without smell or taste, widely used as an explosive. Chemically, it is classified as a ...

–

aluminium Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. I ...

)

warhead A warhead is the forward section of a device that contains the explosive agent or toxic (biological, chemical, or nuclear) material that is delivered by a missile, rocket, torpedo, or bomb. Classification Types of warheads include: * Expl ...

(equivalent to 460 kg of

TNT Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...

) with magnetic influence and

contact fuze A contact fuze, impact fuze, percussion fuze or direct-action (D.A.) fuze (''UK'') is the fuze that is placed in the nose of a bomb or shell so that it will detonate on contact with a hard surface. Many impacts are unpredictable: they may involve ...

s. The charge and fuse are insensitive and

electromagnetic pulse An electromagnetic pulse (EMP), also a transient electromagnetic disturbance (TED), is a brief burst of electromagnetic energy. Depending upon the source, the origin of an EMP can be natural or artificial, and can occur as an electromagnetic fi ...

safe. The weapon has a length of 6.6 m when configured with 4 battery modules, and is respectively shorter when configured with either 3 or 2 battery modules depending upon the requirement of the operating unit. Diameter of the unit is 533 mm.

Service history

The torpedo is in service with the German Navy

Type 212 submarine The German Type 212 class (German: U-Boot-Klasse 212 A), also Italian ''Todaro'' class, is a diesel-electric submarine developed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft AG (HDW) for the German and Italian navies. It features diesel propulsion and a ...

s, has been delivered to the Pakistan Navy for service in the Agosta 90B submarines, has been selected by the

Spanish Navy The Spanish Navy or officially, the Armada, is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces and one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Spanish Navy was responsible for a number of major historic achievements in navigation, ...

for its new S80A submarines and has been sold to other operators worldwide. In May 2018, Hellenic Navy released a Request For Information letter (RFI), asking various companies for acquiring 533mm heavy torpedoes for its four Type 214 Papanikolis submarines plus one updated Type 209 AIP Okeanos. In October 2020, DM2A4 was chosen as the preferred solution, with a program consisting of 36 DM2A4, plus refurbish of number of older SUT Mod0 to Mod4 standard, plus extra batteries for older

SST torpedo The SST family is a series of German torpedoes. SST-3 Seal The SST-3 entered into service in the 1960s. SST-4 Seal The SST-4 entered into service in the late 1970s. The SST-4 is nearly identical to the SST-3 with the addition of passive homin ...

es / SUT Mod0 torpedoes, with a total cost of 105m euro. In September 2021, the contract was modified, with a program consisting of 44 DM2A4, without refurbishment of a number of older SUT Mod0 to Mod4 standard, plus extra batteries for older

es / SUT Mod0 torpedoes, with a total cost of 110m euro.

Operators

The SeaHake Mod 4 torpedo is in service with eighteen countries and over 300 torpedoes (as of 2015). have been delivered: * * * * * * * * * * * (on ''Khalid-class'' submarines) * * * * * *

References

External links

Manufacturer's homepage
{{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017 Torpedoes of Germany Post–Cold War weapons of Germany Military equipment introduced in the 2000s

Description

Service history

Operators

See also

References

External links