Torpedo tube
A torpedo tube is a device for launching torpedoes in a horizontal direction.
There are two main types of torpedo tube:
- Those designed to operate below water level, as fitted to submarines and some surface ships
- Deck-mounted torpedo launchers on surface ships only
Some authorities prefer to reserve the term torpedo tube for submarine type torpedo tubes, referring to deck-mounted units as torpedo launchers, but the more general use has long been widespread among both lay people and arms manufacturers.
There are essential differences between the two types other than the obvious one of operating in air as opposed to water. Deck-mounted launchers are normally designed for a specific munition, and often for a particular model of that munition. On the other hand, the torpedo tube is the submarine's general purpose launcher, with many designs capable of using more than one size of torpedo, as well as other munitions including mines and cruise missiles.
Some nuclear submarines, both US and Soviet, were fitted with two sizes of torpedo tube. On these boats a set of smaller tubes were dedicated to firing torpedoes, while the larger tubes were intended to fire a wide variety of munitions. This provided versatility and firepower while saving space, cost and complexity over an armament of all larger tubes.
On the older Soviet boats such as the Hotel class submarine, the smaller tubes were 16 inch, with the general purpose tubes being the standard 21 inch. On others, such as the Soviet Akula class submarine, the smaller tubes were 21 inch. More recently both navies appear to be returning to a smaller number of only 21 inch tubes.
See torpedo for a list of torpedo sizes.
Submarine torpedo tube
A submarine torpedo tube is a more complex mechanism than a torpedo tube on a surface ship, because the tube has to accomplish the function of moving the torpedo from the normal atmospheric pressure within the submarine into the sea at the ambient pressure of the water around the submarine. Thus a submarine torpedo tube operates on the principle of an airlock.
Torpedo tube operation
The accompanying diagram illustrates the operation of a submarine torpedo tube. The diagram is somewhat simplified but shows the workings of a submarine torpedo launch.
A torpedo tube has a considerable number of interlocks for safety reasons. For example, an interlock prevents the breech door and muzzle door from opening at the same time. Also, the breech door cannot be opened when the tube is filled with water.
The submarine torpedo launch sequence is, in simplified form:
- Open the breech door in the torpedo room. Load the torpedo into the tube.
- Hook up the wire-guide connection and the torpedo power cable.
- Shut and lock the breech door.
- Turn on power to the torpedo. A minimum amount of time is required for torpedo warmup. Fire Control programs are uploaded to the torpedo.
- Flood the torpedo tube. This may be done manually or automatically, from sea or from tanks, depending on the class of submarine. The tube must be vented during this process to allow for complete filling and eliminate air pockets which could escape to the surface or cause damage when firing.
- Open the equalizing valve to equalize pressure in the tube with ambient sea pressure.
The torpedo tube on Holland 1 - Open the muzzle door. If the tube is set up for Impulse Mode the slide valve will open with the muzzle door. If Swim Out Mode is selected, the slide valve remains closed. The slide valve allows water from the Ejection Pump to enter the tube.
- When the launch command is given and all interlocks are satisfied, the water ram operates, thrusting a large volume of water into the tube at high pressure, which ejects the torpedo from the tube with considerable force. Modern torpedoes have a safety mechanism that prevents activation of the torpedo unless the torpedo senses the required amount of G-force.
- The power cable is severed at launch however if a guidance wire is used, it remains connected through a drum of wire in the tube. Torpedo propulsion systems vary but electric torpedoes swim out of the tube on their own and are of a smaller diameter. 21" weapons with fuel-burning engines usually start outside of the tube.
- Once outside the tube the torpedo begins its run toward the target as programed by the fire control system. Attack functions are programmed but with wire guided weapons, certain functions can be controlled from the ship.
- For wire-guided torpedoes, the muzzle door must remain open because the guidance wire is still connected to the inside of the breech door to receive commands from the submarine’s fire-control system. A wire cutter on the inside of the breech door is activated to release the wire and its protective cable. These are drawn clear of the ship prior to shutting the muzzle door.
- The drain cycle is a reverse of the flood cycle. Water is returned to the ships tanks and can be moved as necessary. The tube must be vented to completely drain the tube since it is usually by gravity.
- Open the breech door and remove the remnants of the torpedo power cable and the guidance wire basket. The tube must be wiped dry to prevent a build up of slime. This process is called "diving the tube" and tradition dictates that 'ye who shoots, dives'.
- Shut and lock the breech door.
Spare torpedoes are stored behind the tube in racks.
Speed is a desirable feature of a torpedo loading system, but safety is paramount. There are various manual and hydraulic handling systems for loading torpedoes into the tubes. Prior to the Ohio class, U.S. SSBN's utilized manual block and tackle which took about 15 minutes to load a tube. SSN's prior to the Seawolf class used a hydraulic system that was much faster and safer in conditions where the ship needed to maneuver.
The German Type 212 submarine uses a new development of the water ram expulsion system, which ejects the torpedo with water pressure to avoid acoustic detection.