the USN's increasing emphasis on building UUV's that can be launched from submarines should result in situations where the UUV can pick up a submarine threat at much farther ranges than before, but to attack the opposing sub, the USN sub would have to close in (in the range of opponents retalitory weapon launch) or build much larger UCUV's that can attack which is very unlikely. building supercavitating torpedoes that can maneuver is proving to be very difficult also.

what about a supercavitating torpedo (150mph or so) that can be launched staight towards the enemy (several miles in the general direction) and after traveling the approximate programmed distance, slows down and releases a Mk 46/50/54 lightweight torpedo to attack the threat? could you build a straightrunning supercavitating torpedo that can hold and release a 9.5 ft long 1.1 ft wide LWT? (main weapon would be about 20.5 ft long 1.75 ft wide)

Can't see the benefit in a two stage cavitator when you're far better off with a stealthy delivery system.  There's no reason why future subs won't use conformal armed "swimmers" that can dismount and attack under direction of either the sub, or any other  ForceNET sensitive asset in the combat theatre....

In real terms, there are already combinations of capability that the USN could make into a hybrid sub killer.

 

I can think of 3 existing solutions that could be merged and delivered within 6-12 months if people were motivated enough.

 

 

1) How about the opposite of the suggestion:  use something like an MK-?? torpedo 1st stage to get a supercavitating torpedo within a range that defensive maneuvering is difficult if not impossible for the defender? The supercavitating torpedo will go fast but not have much maneuvering capability as well so you want to fire it as close as possible.

 

2) How about a torpedo "mine" (do they exist?). Dropped into place, it starts and attacks within its run radius at some later time. Don't know precisely what type of attack authorization sensors you'd want to use as this would be longer range than most mine sensors.

 

3)  Parasite UUV that carries a couple of  torpedos (isn't this already in the works?). Sub could move well away before UUV attacks.  Perhaps this is instead a disposable MK-?? torpedo "1st stage" with two independently targetable "2nd stage" torpedos that separate at closer range. Two will make defensive maneuvering more difficult.

 

4) Floating launch for cruise missiles, SLBMs, and ICBMs.  I believe the technique for floating sea launch has already been tested. The missile is ejected in a floating container, the sub moves away, the missile launches from its container with the sub safely away.  The missile container might stay hidden just under the surface for some time period to allow the sub to move away to evade launch detection.  This might work best for future subs with munitions stored external to the pressure vessel in their own containers.

 

the time on station time for some USV's has increased by almost 900% in the last 2 years. Its distinctly possible to arm USCV's as remote weapons stations.  The tech is available now.

Im talking about weapons that could be used by current USN subs.  I dont think that we can make a UUV that launches from a torpedo tube and can be on station for any appreciable amount of time, can carry good sensor equipment, and can actually carry offensive arms or could itslef be used as one.  The UUVs that the Virgina and Seawolf subs can use must be small enough to fit in a torpedo tube afterall.

I thought of this weapon as something that could attack an enemy that is outside the range of any ADCAPs or CBAS without having to close in for the use of existing weapons (stealth is great, but if you can hit him far outside of his range to hit you then you dont need the stealth as much).  I also think it would be usefull because it is effectively a fire and forget weapon as it doesnt need a trailing wire which is usefull if you already have 1 or 2 tubes using wire trailing UUVs (unless you are the seawolf you only have 4 tubes total). 

got any links or references for that?  I would love to take a look at that stuff!