Supercavitating torpedo

A supercavitating torpedo is a torpedo using the effect of supercavitation to create a bubble around the torpedo to move at high velocity under water. Super cavitation has many variables, though. If the air stream is unstable, the torpedo could lose balance. The idea is to reduce drag on the torpedo while it sails underwater. This would make the speed greater and therefore the force of impact greater. The following is a list of supercavitating torpedoes which have been developed or are in development.

• VA-111 Shkval, 1977
• Hoot, believed to be reverse-engineered from the VA-111 Shkval, ^[1] 2006
• Superkavitierender Unterwasserlaufkörper (Supercavitating underwater-travelling munition) Barracuda, 2005 prototype
• Unnamed prototype, mentioned 2004 ^[2]

DARPA also considered building supercavitating minisubs dubbed "Underwater Express". ^[3]

References

1. Salama, Sammy; Sokov, Nikolai; Gina, Cabrera-Farraj (May 4, 2006). "Iran Tests Missiles for Domestic and Foreign Audiences; Origins of One Advanced System Remain Murky". James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. Archived from the original on 2015-06-05. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
2. Supercavitating Torpedo - A rocket torpedo that swims in an air bubble (2004) PopularScience Archived May 18, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
3. A super fast, (super loud) minisub ^{[ usurped ]} (2009) Defense Tech

“Ventilated Supercavitation.” Ventilated Supercavitation | Cavitation and Bubbly Flows, cav.safl.umn.edu/ventilated-supercavitation. Accessed 31 May 2025.