Royal Navy attack submarine HMS Talent has tested the latest variant of the Spearfish heavyweight torpedo before it begins its rollout to the fleet.
The nuclear-powered Trafalgar-class boat – whose mission is to hunt and, if necessary, kill hostile submarines – tested the upgraded Spearfish during a three-day trial on the ranges near the Isle of Skye.
According to the Royal Navy, the trials provided valuable data in the final stages of the upgraded torpedo’s development ahead of its impending entry into service.
“Talent has been the host platform on two occasions for this trial and my team are proud to have had a role in this important program,” Commander Paul Jamieson, commanding officer of HMS Talent, said.
“The Spearfish upgrade will ensure the submarine service continues to possess a very credible weapon system, capable of dealing with potential future threats.”
“The ‘Mod 1’ weapon is at the very cutting edge of torpedo technology and underscores Britain’s position as one of the global leaders in underwater capability,” Captain John Aitken, the Spearfish program director, added.
Spearfish has been the Royal Navy’s heavyweight torpedo for nearly 30 years and can break the back of frigates, destroyers and similar-sized warships, as well as take out any underwater threats.
The enhanced torpedo features a new warhead, new, safer fuel system, a smarter electronic ‘brain’ and a fiber-optic guidance link with its parent submarine to improve its accuracy and lethality.
The operational version of the weapon will be introduced to all front-line Royal Navy submarines by 2025.
It was the second time Talent, the second oldest boat in the RN’s flotilla, was selected for Spearfish trials, with a Royal Navy, Defence Equipment & Support and BAE team heading aboard.
A dummy run saw the first of four torpedoes launched into a target vessel, before three successful firings pitched Talent against herself, avoiding striking her using ‘geographical depth separation’.
The torpedoes were then recovered and work is now ongoing to study the data from the trial to support decisions made in the next phases of the program as the torpedo moves towards initial operating capability.
