NationStates Jolt Archive

Some ooc notes:

http://www.deepangel.com/html/the_squall.html

"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."

IC:
TF-115 Keelbreaker Supercavitating Torpedo: (Run fast, Run Deep)

Description: A next generation supercavitating torpedo that can actually turn, thanks to underwater thrust vectoring systems. These torpedos are excellent at killing capital ships, as they can literally break the keels of Superdreadnoughts, hence the name.

Dimensions:
Length: 15m

Width: 1m (1000mm)

Weight: 8300 kilograms

Range: 60 nautical miles

Speed: 450 knots per hour

Depth: Up to 6000 ft.

Warhead: 1500 kg ONC

Guidance: Interial and preprogrammed. Autopilot module available.

Unit Cost: $5 million
Production Rights: $20 billion

OOC: I'll put it blunt that with the warhead and overall size, it's more than impossible to achieve that type of range, especially considering that your warhead is only about 1/2 - 1/3 of the total weight, and that even "regular" non-supercavitating torpedoes doesn't have that kind of a range (which, I might remind you, is 194km). The sensor system also poses some interesting problems, as I don't see how it's possible to use a sonar guidance system in an air bubble, and that MAD is more of a system used on aircraft for the detection of submarines. I'd strongly suggest you to cut down the range to at least 1/6 than what is claimed (and I'm being generous here). After all, rumours are rumours, and the claim about a newer version of the Shkval torpedo having 100km is just as true as saying that bigfoot lives in space. In fact, I would show little hesitation in saying that the current specs are not short of godmoding.

[OOC: The problem with turning a Super Cavitating torpedo is not that it can't turn because it doesn't have thrust mechanisms. It's because if it does turn it faces possible disintigration. Going 200knots and hitting a solid wall of water is not always the best thing.]

ooc: hey, take it up with the Ukranians...

ooc: hey, take it up with the Ukranians...
OOC: In none of the articles did I read that the scientists were directly implying that the torpedoes would have such a range, and even then, I would still have doubts since there are few - if at all - conventional torpedoes that would have such range. In the end, it simply isn't feastible, no matter what the website says about the rumours. Taking the short way out doesn't work too often, and quite frankly unless you want this weapon to be ignored by many, my advice is to at least cut the range by 1/6 and change the guidance system to inertial. Your choice.

[OOC: Also, at 200knots acoustical homing is going to confuse it because the only thing it's going to hear is its own noise. LIDAR and LADAR wont penetrate the turmoil caused to the water and you need another sort of homign device, in other words SONAR, in order to even direct LIDAR and LADAR, and SONAR wont work - in other words, you can't guide a SuCav.]

OOC: In none of the articles did I read that the scientists were directly implying that the torpedoes would have such a range, and even then, I would still have doubts since there are few - if at all - conventional torpedoes that would have such range. In the end, it simply isn't feastible, no matter what the website says about the rumours. Taking the short way out doesn't work too often, and quite frankly unless you want this weapon to be ignored by many, my advice is to at least cut the range by 1/6 and change the guidance system to inertial. Your choice.

[OOC: The range of the Shkval is only ten kilometers according to all major articles I've read.]

ooc: I cut it back down to 60nm. Now shut up.

[OOC: The range of the Shkval is only ten kilometers according to all major articles I've read.]
OOC: Indeed, and I'm being very generous with my suggestion about the range. I can see it go to a max of approximately around 20-30km with newer systems and a bigger size.

ooc: changed guidance to intertial as well too.

[OOC: Care to explain how the torpedo is able to be guided and turn within a super cavitation bubble? Anyone can say "Well this other guy said that some other guy said he can do this... but he didnt say how... but I guess he must be right.". Until you can explain how this is achieved, I'll have to ignore this torpedo.