Sting Ray torpedo
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The Sting Ray torpedo is a British acoustic homing light-weight torpedo (LWT) manufactured by BAE Systems. The original version (Sting Ray Mod 0) was designed in the 1960s and entered service in 1983. It is propelled by a pump jet driven by an electric motor. Power is supplied by a magnesium/silver-chloride sea water battery. The propulsion method combines high speed, deep diving, agility and low noise levels. The weapon is provided with target and environmental information by the launching platform. Once launched it operates autonomously, with tactical software searching for the target using active sonar and then homing in without any further assistance. The software is designed to deal with the employment of countermeasures by the target. The weapon is designed to be launched from fixed wing or rotary winged aircraft and surface ships against submarine targets. Sting Ray has a diameter of 324 mm (12¾ inches) and a length of around 2.6 metres (8.5 feet). It has a launch weight of 267 kg (589 lb), and carries a 45 kg (99 lb) Torpex warhead. It has a speed of 83 km/h (45 knots) over a range of 8,000 metres (4.3 nautical miles).
Sting Ray Mod 1 is intended to prosecute the same threats as Sting Ray Mod 0 but with an enhanced capability against small clad conventional submarines via a shaped-charge warhead, and an improved shallow-water performance. It shares many hull components with the original weapon.
Sting Ray Mod 0 also uses a shaped charge warhead.
[edit] Mysterious deaths
Since work started on the Sting Ray torpedo over 25 top scientists working on the project have died in suspicious circumstances. The story first was pushed by Computer News magazine during the mid to late 1980's. See Marconi Scientists
[edit] Users
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