"U.S. intelligence has received several indications that the Russians
were working on an ADVANCED, MUCH LONGER RANGE SHKVAL . Russia's
Itar-Tass news agency reported in February 1998, for instance, that
tests of a "modernized" Shkval were scheduled by Russia's Pacific Fleet
for that spring."

FEBRUARY 1998 - THAT'S SIX YEARS AGO ! PLENTY OF TIME FOR EXTRA R & D ?


Other informed sources claim that the missile is in fact an offensive
weapon designed to destroy entire AIRCRAFT CARRIER battle groups with a
higher-yield nuclear warhead. During a nuclear war, it could even be
directed at a port or coastal land target.

"As there are NO KNOWN COUNTERMEASURES TO SUCH A WEAPON," states
Miller's 1995 Jane's article, "its deployment could have a significant
effect on future maritime operations, both surface and subsurface, and
could put Western naval forces at a considerable disadvantage."

Guidance at speed had been unavailable on the original model of the
torpedo due to the difficulty sonar has in penetrating the surrounding
gas envelope and what experts call "self-noise," but the Russians are
said to have now added a homing capability to the deadly device.
Reportedly, the improved homing version runs out at very high speed,
then slows to search for its target. If this is true, the new version
troubles top U.S. Navy brass, who would like to know as much as
possible about the advanced Shkval before it finds its way to places
such as China and Iran.

Gundarov also wrote that the Kursk was retrofitted during the same
period with a potentially problematic torpedo-launching system against
the wishes of many high-ranking Russian navy officials who considered
it to be "complicated and dangerous." The existing high-cost
silver-zinc battery and propeller system used for years to send the
Shkval out to a safe distance and orient it toward its target before
its rocket engine ignites was replaced. The new system employs a
higher-risk technology that uses a gas stream to propel the torpedo out
the tube. When the weapon is triggered, liquid fuel is burned
generating pressurized gas that shoots the Shkval out the launch tube.



D wrote:
----------
In article ,
(Spitfiremk9) wrote:

Whoops there goes another Super Carrier (steering gear & screws) !

http://www.diodon349.com/Kursk-Memor...the_squall.htm

Both you and the website author are being goofy.

The site clearly states that this is an _anti-submarine_ torpedo.

In addition, the website is wrong about this being the cause for the
sinking
of the Kursk. The Russians have concluded that it was actually an
older,
conventional torpedo that probably caused the loss.




D