Limbo, or Anti Submarine Mortar Mark 10 (A/S Mk.10), was the final development of the forward-throwing

anti-submarine An anti-submarine weapon (ASW) is any one of a number of devices that are intended to act against a submarine and its crew, to destroy (sink) the vessel or reduce its capability as a weapon of war. In its simplest sense, an anti-submarine weapo ...

weapon

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, designed during the Second World War and was developed by the Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment in the 1950s. Limbo was installed on the

quarterdeck The quarterdeck is a raised deck behind the main mast of a sailing ship. Traditionally it was where the captain commanded his vessel and where the ship's colours were kept. This led to its use as the main ceremonial and reception area on bo ...

of Royal Navy escort ships from 1955 to the mid-1980s, Australian–built

destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed in ...

and s. Limbo was widely employed by the Royal Canadian Navy, being incorporated into all destroyer designs from the late 1950s to the early 1970s, including the , , , and classes and the Type 12 President Class frigates built for the South African Navy in the 1960s.

Operation

Limbo was loaded and fired automatically with the crew under-cover and was stabilised in pitch and roll. The firing distance of the mortars was controlled by opening gas vents; rounds could be fired from . The weapon was linked to the sonar system of the ship, firing on command when the target was in range. The rounds were projected so that they fell in a triangular pattern around the target in any direction around the ship.YouTube showing loading and firing
/ref> The weapon was used in the 1982

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and remained in service in the Royal Navy and Commonwealth navies until the 1990s. A surviving system is preserved at

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in Gosport, Hampshire.

Sonar control of the A/S Mortar Mk 10

The firing of the Mortar Mk 10 was controlled by the Type 170 (and later the 502) attack sonar from the Sonar Control Room (SCR), which was generally located next to the operations room in the warship. The 170 sonar had three operators who maintained sonar contact with the target and aimed the weapon in bearing, range and depth. Firing was done by means of a pistol grip and trigger mounted to the

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General characteristics

* Total system weight: 35 tons including 51 projectiles (17 salvos).

Display items

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Play Station- Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

References

{{Reflist 305 mm artillery Anti-submarine mortars">305 mm artillery">Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

References

{{Reflist 305 mm artillery Anti-submarine mortars Explosive weapons Naval weapons of the Cold War Naval weapons of the United Kingdom Military equipment introduced in the 1950s