Taiwan is Worried About China's Acquiring Russian Torpedo

Russia Today | Mar 11, 2002

[Sawdring]

TAIPEI, Mar 11, 2002 -- (dpa) Taiwan on Sunday expressed concern about China's acquiring 40 Russian-made fast-speed Squall torpedoes.

"We will pay close attention to the news report (about China's acquiring Squall torpedoes)," Broadcasting Corp of China (BCC) quoted Defense Ministry Spokesman Huang Sui-sheng as saying Friday evening.

"But our military is fully informed about China's weapon development and procurement," BCC quoted Huang as saying.

On Sunday, Taiwan's United Evening News (UEN) quoted an unnamed military source as saying China has acquired 40 Squall torpedoes from Russia and plans to install them on the 093-type nuclear submarines which are being built by China with Russia's assistance.

The 093-type nuclear subs will be launched in 2012, the source said.

Squall torpedo, or VA-111 torpedo, were being tested on Russian nuclear submarine Kursk when it exploded and sank in Barents Sea on Aug. 12, 2000.

Although the cause of Kursk blast has not been defined, some Russian and Western military experts suspect the torpedo's volatile fuel liquid caused the explosion.

Squall is powered by a liquid peroxide fuel, a substance tried by Britain's Royal Navy in the 1960s but rejected for being too unstable.

"Squall leaves the launch barrel at the speed of 50 knots and shoots towards the enemy submarine at 200 knots - or 100 meters per second - four times the speed of a traditional torpedo," UEN said.

"Russians have modified Squall so that it now has target-hunting system," it said.

"Only China, France and Iran have Squall torpedoes. Western countries and Taiwan do not have a weapon that can counter Squall," UEN said.

U.S. military experts have warned about Squall's threat to the U.S. because of its first-strike capacity.

But a Taiwan military expert said China's purpose in acquiring Squall is to intimidate Asia-Pacific countries, particularly the U.S.

"Taiwan is a target of China, but not the main target. The main target is Asia-Pacific," BCC quoted the unnamed military analyst as saying.

"The U.S. is China's hypothetical enemy, so Taiwan is not China's main target," the analyst said.

China sees Taiwan - seat of the exiled Republic of China since 1949 - as its province and warned it will attack Taiwan if Taipei seeks independence or indefinitely delays reunification.

[Sawdring]

Squall

[Free the USA]

Check the Bump List folders for articles related to and descriptions of the above topic(s) or for other topics of interest.

[PokeyJoe]

The squall's downfall is that if you can "spoof" the targeting sensors on the attacking boat, then he has shot his wad, given away his position, and since the squall uses a hypercavitating shell - a nice clean path is cut in the water that can be seen from an aviation unit on the surface. Any submariner's care to comment?

Also, if China and France (!?) can buy a Squall - why can't the Republic of Texas? =)

[gcruse]

"The U.S. is China's hypothetical enemy, so Taiwan is not China's main target"

I hope that is true.  Otherwise, we will
stiff Taiwan and not prepare a Squall defense.

[PhilDragoo]

The concept of operations for this missile requires the crew of a submarine, ship or the coast guard define the target's parameters -- speed, distance and vector -- and feeds the data to the missile's automatic pilot. The missile is fired, achieves its optimum depth and switches on its engines. The missile does not have a homing warhead and follows a computer-generated program.

No wire-guidance, no homing capacity. Total reliance on "defining parameters".

I perceive a weakness--of course they claim the payload is a tactical nuke. Maybe.

At any rate, it certainly worked effectively to sink the Kursk--so we should be very afraid.

</ schadenfreude >

[NormsRevenge]

Squall torpedo, or VA-111 torpedo, were being tested on Russian nuclear submarine Kursk when it exploded and sank in Barents Sea on Aug. 12, 2000.

Although the cause of Kursk blast has not been defined, some Russian and Western military experts suspect the torpedo's volatile fuel liquid caused the explosion.

Heck, I say, let 'em have all they want.

[Stavka2]

Well, I've got a simple solution for the worried Tiawnese...go fork over some money and buy some yourselves...I'm sure if they put their wallets where their mouths are, instead of relying on other countries to protect them, they could have all these little toys.

[batter]

Thanks for the info.

The 093-type nuclear subs will be launched in 2012, the source said.

Some 'experts' belive the PRC/CCP will colapse in the next ten years. Although convenient, I am not holding my breath on that optomistic projection.

Squall torpedo, or VA-111 torpedo, were being tested on Russian nuclear submarine Kursk when it exploded and sank in Barents Sea on Aug. 12, 2000.
Although the cause of Kursk blast has not been defined, some Russian and Western military experts suspect the torpedo's volatile fuel liquid caused the explosion.

One can only hope that this would be the outcome should the PRC decide to take on the US or another nation...but counting on this would be a mistake. Then again, if PokeyJoe is right (unless they have found a way to overcome 'spoofing'), maybe we need not worry...

[Tailgunner Joe]