Aviation Week Magazine has an article in the March 27, 2006 issue on the
Russian supercavitating Shkval torpedo.
Top speed 200 kt underwater.

"Kyle Boatright" wrote in message
. ..

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
oups.com...
This from the Assocated Press, regarding a new attack craft the
Iranians are supposedly deploying in the Persian Gulf:
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"'Due to its advanced design, no radar at sea or in the air can detect
it. It can lift out of the water,' the television said. It said the
boat was 'all Iranian-made and can launch missiles with precise
targeting while moving.'"


The footage I saw looked like a single engine prop driven pusher.
Something I could build in my basement. Claiming that it is stealthy or
could successfully engage a modern surface vessel is more than a stretch.
I don't see how it would be any more effective than a speedboat. Why?
Because as soon as it hit more than about 40 knots, it would become a
target. Maybe, just maybe, they could use it under cover of darkness -
creep close pretending to be a small boat, then launch a surprise attack,
but again, you could do that with a speedboat.

"The television showed the boat, looking like an aircraft, taking off
from the sea and flying low over the surface of the water. It said the
craft can fly with a speed of 100 nautical miles per hour."
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Didn't the Russians experiment with something like this? Kind of a
hybrid airplane/boat...?

Yep.


Here's another excerpt from the article:
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"Iran said the torpedo tests were conducted Sunday and Monday. The
torpedo - called a 'Hoot,' or 'whale' - is able to move at 223 mph,
too fast for any enemy ship to elude."
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Is that even POSSIBLE? Can anything really go 223 mph under water?

Yes. Go 223 mph and sense a target? Probably not. It would require a
fairly close-in launch to target a maneuverable target (like a warship).
On the other hand, its probable use is to threaten oil shipments in the
straight of Hormuz. At 200 mph, it wouldn't have any trouble hitting a
large, ponderous target like a tanker at a pretty fair range.



Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"