Supercavitation
Unum Veritas
27-10-2003, 04:04
What do you all think of supercavitation? Is it future-tech, fairly present tech, or just ridiculous? Or was this already decided in a different thread and I'm just wasting everyone's time (including my own) in making this thread?
For torpedos it's fine modern tech, but for any other junk is future tech
Zvarinograd
30-10-2003, 02:22
It's niether. Damn Americans think the world is just as advanced as they are.
In 1977, Russian engineers developed the first projectile to use supercavitation: the VA-111 Shkval (squall) torpedo. This can travel at 230 mph (100 m/s), compared to the top speed of about 80 mph (35 m/s) for conventional craft, but is not steerable. News of the device reached the West in the 1990s. Its malfunction was supposedly the cause of the destruction of the K-141 Kursk submarine.
It's niether.
In 1977, Russian engineers developed the first projectile to use supercavitation: the VA-111 Shkval (squall) torpedo. This can travel at 230 mph (100 m/s), compared to the top speed of about 80 mph (35 m/s) for conventional craft, but is not steerable. News of the device reached the West in the 1990s. Its malfunction was supposedly the cause of the destruction of the K-141 Kursk submarine.
Hmm, seems unstable.
My guess is future-tech, with late modern tech for torpedoes.
Zvarinograd
30-10-2003, 02:27
Okay then, if you want the stable version, I'd say it's Modern.
Development of the Shkval has continued through the 1980’s and 1990’s to the present day. Very little information is available about the Shkval II, the existence of which was made public by the Russian government in 1998. Rumours state a top speed of possibly 450+ mph (720 kph/h) and a vastly improved range, believed by some to be in the region of 60+ miles (100 km). The fact that the Shkval II is guided renders it vastly superior to the original Shkval. The Shkval II is thought to be able to supercavitate, then if need be slow down and reacquire its target, before speeding up and homing in for the kill. Yet newer techniques developed by Ukrainian scientists are believed to offer the possibility for high speed supercav guidance and maneuvering.