First and second submarines of Vietnamese Navy : HQ-182 Hanoi and HQ-183 Ho Chi Minh (photo : tuoitre)

30.03.2014 Defense Studies

Six Vietnamese Navy's Kilo 636.1 will not equipped with   VA-111 Shkval super  torpedo as people have speculated previously.


Kilo Vietnam will not use super torpedo compartment VA-111 Shkval as previously rumored. Instead, in 2009, Vietnam has decided to buy two types of Russian anti-submarine torpedoes, anti-ship 53-65 and anti-submarine torpedoes TEST 71.

The information above has been Research Institute Stockholm International Peace (SIPRI) revealed on 17/3.

According to SIPRI, the two torpedo  53-65 and TEST 71 will be combined with the type of anti-ship cruise missiles 3M-54 Klub to form a trio of powerful offensive weapon for the diesel-electric submarines of the Vietnamese Navy's Kilo 636.1 submarines.

All three main weapons on this Kilo Vietnam have been ordered since 2009 as part of a deal to buy six Kilo-class submarines, and are expected to be completed in 2016.


 

Type 53-65 is considered quite modern torpedoes, are able to detect and attack targets at 19 km distances (photo : weaponsystems)

SIPRI's report showed that Vietnam has ordered a total of 50 in anti-ship cruise missiles launched from submarines 3M-54 Klub, 80 anti-ship torpedo 53-65 and 80 anti-ship/anti-submarine TEST-71 torpedo. In 2013, Vietnam received respectively 10, 15 and 15 units for every type of modern weapons.

Kilo class submarines are designed 636.1 has six 533 mm torpedo tubes at the front, allowing reporters are all kinds of key offensive weapons, including anti-ship 53-65 torpedoes, TEST-71 anti-ship/anti-submarine torpedo and Klub cruise missiles.

Type 53-65 or 53-65 is guided torpedo sonar, is designed based on the previous generation torpedoes Type 53-61. The export version is called 53-65KE used exclusively to combat surface ships. 533 mm diameter torpedo, length 7.2 m, weight of 2.070 kg and equipment weighing up to 300 kg warhead.

Type 53-65 reached 12 km ranged attacks while moving at speeds 125 km/h and moving speed 83 km/h of 18 km (53-65K variant reaches 19 km and 53-65M up to 22 km). As predicted, Vietnam will buy the Type 53-65K variant torpedo.

TEST-71  is homing torpedoes and heavier wires rather than the type of TEST 68 - wire-guided torpedoes first lead of the Soviet Union. TEST-71  owns many advantages, such as longer range, heavier warhead and can attack targets at greater depths.

 

Torpedo TEST-71M-NK with range 20 km will equip for Vietnamese Navy's Kilo (photo : alrosa)

In addition to the initial prototype, was developed TEST-71  4 variant is more TEST 71M,  TEST 71MK, TEST 71ME-NK and TEST 3. Among them, only variations TEST 71ME-NK is capable of versatile attack (both surface ships and submarines), therefore, there is high possibility this is also the variant torpedo TEST 71 Vietnamese Navy subscribe to Kilo.

TEST-71ME-NK  has 533 mm diameter, 7.93 m long, weight 1.820 kg; warhead weighs 205 kg and has a great advantage is equipped with 2 fuses different: it needs to target (acoustics and magnetic field) and hit explosion. Torpedo operations are controlled by wireless remote, semi-active probes and transducers for sonar target detection range up to 1.5 km.

TEST-71ME-NK propulsion system is equipped with 2 dual propeller, 48km/h cruise speed and increased to 74 km/h in the final stages, 20 km long range attack at a depth of up to 400m.

Also 2 torpedo attack on the key, Vietnamese Kilo also will be equipped with cruise missiles, most powerful and now most modern in Russia the 3M-54 Klub. According to the SIPRI Vietnam received 50/80 missiles.

 

Two torpedo TEST 71 and 53-65 combined with 3M-54 Klub missiles with range 200 km, constitute the 3 perfect weapon for Vietnamese Kilo (photo : ausairpower)

3M-54E missiles has 8.22 m long, 0.53 m diameter, weight 2.300 kg, fitted armor piercing warhead weighs 200 kg explosive fragmentation. Rocket can reach cruising speed of Mach 2.9 (nearly 3 times faster the speed of sound), a range of 200 km.

3M-54E probe integrated navigation ARGS-54 active radar target detection is of nearly 60 km. That is the way target range of 60 km, the rocket ammo will automatically detect, catch and target key grip without interference from the launch vehicle.

A range, fly super fast speed, complex flight trajectory, bullet 3M-54E missiles is considered one of the assassins kill leading warship.

As can be seen, 636.1 Kilo Vietnam Navy is equipped with a system of powerful weapons and modern. With 6 submarines completed after 2016.

Vietnamese Navy will have the most modern fleet submarine in the region, it represents an orca as Kilo briskly hidden escape the black hole in the ocean, fired and ready to fight to defend sovereignty islands of the country.

(BaoDatViet)