DCNS: French Navy’s new F21 heavyweight
torpedo on qualification trials
Photo: DCNS
Posted on June 22, 2017
French shipbuilder and defense contractor DCNS announced
it has performed a “qualification firing” of the French Navy’s F21 heavyweight
torpedo.
This move brings the torpedo another step closer to being
fielded on the French submarines.
In addition to being fielded on the French new
Barracuda-class nuclear submarines, the torpedo was expected to be ready for
delivery to the navy for the entire fleet by 2016.
In an announcement from 2014, DCNS said a prototype of
the weapon had been undergoing tests in the Mediterranean Sea since 2013.
The contract, under which DCNS was to deliver 100 of the
torpedoes to the navy, was awarded by the French Defense Procurement Agency
(DGA) in 2008.
The wire-guided torpedo is 6 meters long, weighs 1.5 tonnes
and has a range of 50 kilometers traveling at speeds between 25 and 50 knots.
F21 is operated through the MIGAL fire control system
which serves as the interface between the torpedo and the submarine’s combat
information centre.
According to DCNS, the F21 will be fitted on the
Brazilian Navy SSKs and is also launchable from ships.
Source: navaltoday.com
F21 heavyweight torpedo
The F21 torpedo is the only new heavy torpedo development
in the world. Its characteristics are significantly superior to all other heavy
torpedoes currently in service. Beyond its exceptional performance levels, its
on-board tactical intelligence makes this torpedo a precursor for what
tomorrow’s underwater drones could be.
Features:
- Diameter/length/weight:
533mm / 6000mm / 1.3 tonnes
- Continuously
variable speed up to > 50 knots
- Autonomy
of about 1 hour
- Distance
> 50km
- Operational
depth from < 10m to > 500m
Source: dcnsgroup.com
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