The Type 97 Torpedo (97式短魚雷, 97 Shiki Tan Gyorai) is a short-range torpedo developed and built by the
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
is a Japanese multinational engineering, electrical equipment and electronics corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. MHI is one of the core companies of the Mitsubishi Group and its automobile division is the predecessor of Mitsubishi Mo ...
for the
Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force
, abbreviated , also simply known as the Japanese Navy, is the maritime warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. The JMSDF was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) ...
. This type of torpedo, like many other modern Japanese weapons systems, is not exported.
Development
At the end of the Cold War, Soviet attack submarines were capable of moving at higher speed and diving at lower depth, rendering the torpedoes used by
US navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage of ...
and the JMSDF, like the
Mk-46 torpedo, less able to deal with them. So a new type of torpedo needed to be developed.
The US launched a new type of torpedo, the
Mk-50 using an infrared detector and a closed-loop pump with an integrated processing unit for analyzing underwater sound waves for target acquisition. This type of torpedo can also be used to intercept other torpedoes. Soviet submarines, however, have developed adaptive capabilities, such as the use of trap baits and interference of the detection system, making it harder for the torpedo to find its target.
In 1989 a new torpedo project by Japan, G-RX4, was launched to develop the necessary upgrades and start making prototypes. By 1997 the new torpedo was approved and put into service and is called the Type 97. The torpedo is now equipped for
P-3 ASW aircraft and
Mark 32 torpedo tubes
Mark 32 Surface Vessel Torpedo Tubes (Mk 32 SVTT) is a torpedo launching system designed for the United States Navy.
History
The Mark 32 has been the standard anti-submarine torpedo launching system aboard United States Navy surface vessels s ...
on surface ships.
See also
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APR-3E torpedo
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 replaceme ...
- Russian equivalent
*
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
The Mark 54 Lightweight Torpedo (formerly known as Lightweight Hybrid Torpedo, or LHT) is a standard anti-submarine warfare (ASW) torpedo used by the United States Navy.
Development
The Mark 54 was co-developed by Raytheon Integrated Defense ...
- US Navy's equivalent
*
MU90 Impact - French/Italian 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
*
Sting Ray (torpedo)
The Sting Ray is a British acoustic homing lightweight torpedo (LWT) manufactured by GEC-Marconi, who were later bought out by BAE Systems. It entered service in 1983.
Design and development
In the 1950s the Royal Navy was equipped with Bri ...
- British equivalent
References
{{Reflist
External links
97式短魚雷
Aerial torpedoes
Torpedoes of Japan