🇮🇳🚀INDIA'S FIRST HEAVY-WEIGHT TORPEDO "VARUNASTRA" under MAKE IN INDIA MISSION🚀🇮🇳

🚀INDIA'S FIRST HEAVY-WEIGHT TORPEDO "VARUNASTRA" under MAKE IN INDIA MISSION🚀🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳

✳️On 21 November 2020, the DRDO(DEFENCE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION) has announced that the first production of the HEAVYWEIGHT TORPEDO (HWT) will start its production at BDL, vishakhapatnam,which will be used by the INDIAN NAVY in submarines. The HEAVYWEIGHT TORPEDO (HWT) is designed by the NAVAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGICAL LABORATORY(NSTL). This mission of producing our missiles, defence equipments will boost the ATMA-NIRBHAR-BHARAT mission which is set by our honorable PM NARENDRA MODI JI.

🌠It is named after a legendary weapon created by the Hindu god of the oceans, Varuna. 

🚀WHAT IS BDL?

✳️BDL means "BHARATH DYNAMICS LIMITED" and its headquarters is situated in hyderabad, telangana. BDL has 3 manufacturing units located in Kanchanbagh ,Hyderabad, Telangana;  Bhanur, Medak district, Telangana  and Visakhapatnam , Andhra  Pradesh.

🌀PICTURE OF "VARUNASTRA" is shown in the picture below👇👇

✳️The weight of  "VARUNASTRA" is approximately 1500 kg and has a length of 7-8 metres.

🚀NEED  FOR  TORPEDOS 

✳️A modern torpedo is  an underwater ranged weapon launched the water surface ,  selfabove or below propelled  towards a target,  and with  an explosive  warhead designed to detonate  either on contact with or  in proximity  to the target.



🚀TORPEDOS

✳️Torpedo can be launched from ships, Airplane or Submarines. 

🚀IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE

✳️Another torpedo that was MADE IN INDIA Advanced Light Torpedo Shyena.The  Advanced Light Torpedo (TAL) Shyena  is the first indigenous advanced lightweight  anti submarine torpedo of India In March  2017, India signed a $37.9 million deal to  supply Shyena to the Myanmar Navy .The first batch of these torpedoes were delivered in July  2019.

✳️India and China have been competing for influence in Myanmar. Both countries are part of major port projects in the Buddhist country.

✳️To counter China’s influence, India has been supplying military equipment to Myanmar. In 2017, India supplied lightweight torpedoes to the Myanmar Navy, paid for through a line of credit given to Myanmar by India.

✳️Earlier this month, Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane and Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla visited Myanmar.

✳️During the visit, India agreed to supply more military equipment to Myanmar, including artillery guns, ammunition for T-72 tanks, sonars and torpedoes.

✳️Greater Chinese influence in Myanmar could not only create trouble for India in the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean but also in the North East.

✳️Many rebel groups operating in the North East have their bases in Myanmar, and Myanmar’s security forces have been cooperating with India to eliminate these bases. But growth in Chinese influence in Naypyitaw would give Beijing the option to limit this cooperation between India and Myanmar.

✳️India has also sold some used submarines to Myanmar Navy with free training and maintenance has also strengthened India-Myanmar ties /relationship. According to the article by Hindustan times" THE 3000 DIESEL-ELECTRIC SUBMARINE INS SINDHUVIR, WHICH HAS BEEN RENAMED UMS MINYE THEINKHATHU, WAS SHOWCASED DURING THE MYANMAR NAVY'S BANDOOLA FLEET EXERCISE ON OCTOBER 15,THE SAME DAY THE EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTRY ANNOUNCED THAT INDIA HAS GIFTED THE SUBMARINE TO THE NEIGHBOURING COUNTRY MYANMAR "

🚀VARUNASTRA⚓

✳️India has offered Varunastramissile to Vietnam and hopes for large orders from several other naval forces around the world.In June 2019, Indian Ministry of Defence awarded a contract worth ₹1,187 crore (US$170 million) to Bharat Dynamics Limited to supply Varunastra to the Indian Navy.

🚀VARUNASTRA ⚓ 

🌠It is capable of targeting  quiet and  stealthy submarines,  both in deep and littoral  waters  in intense counter  measure environment. 

🌠Varunastra  has been  designed with latest  technologies  such as high  speed and long  endurance  propulsion,  software driven intelligence,  conformal array  acoustic  homing  with  wide look angle  and  advanced digital  signal  processing. 

🌠It has GPS  based locating  aid,  a unique  feature in  contemporary torpedoes in the  world. 

🚀WHY  INDIA  AND  SE  ASIA  NEEDS  TORPEDOS? 

✳️The  increasing Chinese hostility  is now motivating  many countries in the  region to prepare  defence  against  the  mighty  Chinese navy Currently,  PLANSF operates  a fleet  of 66 submarines which include  nuclear as well  as conventional submarines. 

🚀BLACK SHARK TORPEDO(ITALY)

✳️The Black Shark Advanced (BSA), a new generation multi-role heavyweight torpedo fired from submarines or surface ships, is designed to counter threats from all surface and underwater platforms. The Black Shark is intended to replace the ageing A-184 heavyweight torpedo used by the Italian Navy.

✳️The Black Shark is currently being produced by Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquei (WASS) for several major naval forces and has been integrated into Scorpene, U209, U214 and U212 submarines.

✳️The wire guided, self-homing torpedo has 21-inch diameter and integrates an ASTRA (Advanced Sonar Transmitting and Receiving Architecture) and high explosive warhead. The propulsion system with Al-AgO battery, contra-rotating brushless motor and skewed propellers ensures a maximum speed of 50kt and range of 50km.

🚀F21 Heavyweight Torpedo(FRANCE)

✳️The F21 heavyweight torpedo from DCNS is a dual-purpose torpedo that is effective against submarines and surface vessels. It will replace F17 mod2 torpedo aboard the French Navy's submarine fleet.

✳️The 1.3t F21 can be integrated into all types of submarines including nuclear-powered SSBNs and SNs as well as diesel-electric types, and can be launched in swim-out or push-out modes. It incorporates a new-generation acoustic head from Thales Underwater System, in addition to an impact/acoustic fuse warhead.

✳️The F21 can be operated in depth ranging from 10m to 500m and is driven by electric propulsion based on the silver oxide-aluminium (AgO-Al) primary battery providing a speed of 25kt to 50kt, range of over 50km and endurance of one hour.

🚀Spearfish Heavyweight Torpedo(UK)

✳️The Spearfish advanced heavy weight torpedo from BAE Systems is effective against submarine and surface threats in oceanic and coastal waters. The 1.85t torpedo is in service with the submarine fleet of the UK Royal Navy.

✳️The Spearfish carries Aluminised PBX explosive warhead of 300kg and is directed towards the target by high-capacity guide wire system and passive and active sonar.

✳️Its power plant is composed of a gas turbine engine using Otto Fuel as a liquid monopropellant, and Hydroxyl Ammonium Perchlorate (HAP) as oxidant. The propulsion system allows the Spearfish to engage targets within 48km at low speed.

🚀Torpedo 62 (Torpedo 2000){SWEDEN}

✳️The Torpedo 62 (Export designation: Torpedo 2000) from Saab is a dual-purpose heavy weight torpedo system in use with the submarine fleet of the Royal Swedish Navy. It can be effectively launched against all types of submarines and surface ships.

✳️The Torpedo 62 has a launch weight of 1,450kg and can carry high explosive warhead. The torpedo operates at depths of 500m and is guided by active/passive homing system.

✳️The torpedo is propelled by an advanced pump jet engine and can engage targets within the range of over 40km, at a maximum speed of 40kt.

🚀DM2A4/SeaHake mod 4(GERMANY)

✳️The DM2A4 Seehecht (Export Name: SeaHake mod 4) is the main under water weapon of the German Navy's Type 212 submarines. The heavyweight torpedo, weighing 1.37t, can be launched from both submarines and surface ships.

✳️Developed by Atlas Elektronik, the SeaHake mod 4 torpedo employs fibre optic wire guidance to accurately engage underwater and above-water targets, and carries a 255kg warhead.

✳️The torpedo is equipped with a high frequency permanent magnet motor and silver zinc battery modules ensuring a maximum speed of 50kt and a range of over 50km (27nmi).

🚀Shkval-E(RUSSIA)

✳️The Shkval-E is a high-speed unguided underwater missile produced by "Region" State Research & Production Enterprise of Tactical Missiles Corporation JSC. The weapon system can be installed on surface vessels and submarines, and can be launched at up to Sea State 4 from a water depth of 30m.

✳️The underwater weapon weighs 2,700kg and carries high-explosive warhead (210kg TNT equivalent) with an impact proximity fuse.

✳️The propulsion system consisting of hydro-reactive jet and solid-fuel rocket booster provides a high speed of over 200kt. The torpedo has an effective launch range of 7km and cruising range of 10km.

🚀MK48 ADCAP MOD 7 CNASS(USA)

✳️The Mk48 ADCAP Mod 7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS) developed by Lockheed Martin uses active and/or passive homing, broadband sonar guidance and advanced counter-countermeasures to detect, track and engage targets in deep and shallow waters. It is the most advanced heavyweight torpedo in use with the submarine fleet of the US Navy and allied nations.

✳️The torpedo has a launch weight of 1,676kg and can hold a 292.5kg high explosive warhead, and
is powered by a piston engine using Otto Fuel II monopropellant. The maximum speed and range of the torpedo are over 28kt and 8km respectively.

🚀YU-6 TORPEDO(CHINA) 

The Chinese Yu-6 completed development in 2005. At speeds of sixty-five knots, it is faster than the listed speeds of the Mk 48 Mod 6 ADCAP.

From the Yu-4, a domestic completion of an incomplete Soviet design, to the Yu-6, which uses an Intel microprocessor to power its guidance components, the torpedoes of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) show significant traces of reverse engineering.

But how capable are they? Do they really improve on the designs on which they are based, and effectively integrate COTS technology, or stand up to the designs from which they were reverse engineered?

The capture of an American MK 46 mod 1 torpedo by a Chinese fisherman in the South China Sea in 1978 was a game changer for Chinese torpedo design. Chinese engineers quickly adopted the MK 46’s Otto Fuel II technology to make their own torpedo-propulsion units more compact and powerful.