- Joined
- 6 September 2006
- Messages
- 4,596
- Reaction score
- 8,552
In 1959, the Admiralty were evaluating two ship-borne A/S torpedo-carrying missiles. This was shorty after the Saro P.200 hydrofoil A/S torpedo carrier and contemporary with Fairey Ultralight/ Saro P.531 tests.
The Joint Underwater System Assessment Group made assessments of both proposals in late 1959 and mid-1960.
The Napier Air-Flight A/S Weapon Vehicle (Seahorse) was offered in two variants, the favoured one head an underslung torpedo. Specs as follows: length 110in; span 74in; 450lb thrust sustainer; 20,000 yard range; 40sec flight time to 10,000 yards, 420lb payload. Launcher for 20 missiles; weight of launcher & equipment 42,000lb. Trainable unstabliised high-elevation launcher, either 2x1 rail or 1x2 rail. Seahorse lacked command guidance and relied on a good sonar target fix before launch. It was felt a bottom-bounce sonar was required to fully exploit the weapon's range (same for Project 525 too).
Armstrong Whitworth/ GEC Project 525, pre-dated Seahorse: length 108in; span 72in; 300lb thrust turbojet sustainer; 55,000 yard range; 60sec flight time to 10,000 yards, 550lb payload. Launcher for 18 missiles; weight of launcher & equipment 18,000lb. Two fixed launchers (one each beam) with missiles on tracks behind, a trainable launcher was offered later. Command guidance was fitted.
Both were considered to be feasible weapons but big unknowns were accuracy of the A/S torpedo and sonar accuracy was good enough but offered only 50% success against non-manoeuvring targets. Project 525 was slightly more favoured due to its turbojet sustainer and AW's missile pedigree. Napier's launching system was deemed superior however. It seems neither went much further, another file on Future A/S Weapons from this date is still withheld until at least 2022, so probably further information remains to be uncovered at some future date.
The Joint Underwater System Assessment Group made assessments of both proposals in late 1959 and mid-1960.
The Napier Air-Flight A/S Weapon Vehicle (Seahorse) was offered in two variants, the favoured one head an underslung torpedo. Specs as follows: length 110in; span 74in; 450lb thrust sustainer; 20,000 yard range; 40sec flight time to 10,000 yards, 420lb payload. Launcher for 20 missiles; weight of launcher & equipment 42,000lb. Trainable unstabliised high-elevation launcher, either 2x1 rail or 1x2 rail. Seahorse lacked command guidance and relied on a good sonar target fix before launch. It was felt a bottom-bounce sonar was required to fully exploit the weapon's range (same for Project 525 too).
Armstrong Whitworth/ GEC Project 525, pre-dated Seahorse: length 108in; span 72in; 300lb thrust turbojet sustainer; 55,000 yard range; 60sec flight time to 10,000 yards, 550lb payload. Launcher for 18 missiles; weight of launcher & equipment 18,000lb. Two fixed launchers (one each beam) with missiles on tracks behind, a trainable launcher was offered later. Command guidance was fitted.
Both were considered to be feasible weapons but big unknowns were accuracy of the A/S torpedo and sonar accuracy was good enough but offered only 50% success against non-manoeuvring targets. Project 525 was slightly more favoured due to its turbojet sustainer and AW's missile pedigree. Napier's launching system was deemed superior however. It seems neither went much further, another file on Future A/S Weapons from this date is still withheld until at least 2022, so probably further information remains to be uncovered at some future date.
