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"I
am certain that we have achieved parity with our key foreign competitors
in a number of spheres and we will overtake them in some of the spheres,
once the products enter production. Take for instance the well-known
unique Shkval underwater missile. We are working on upgrading it heavily,"
Obnosov said. In addition, he said the corporation’s subsidiaries
carried on their work on the Paket antisubmarine system.
The VA-111 Shkval (meaning squall in Russian) is a supercavitating torpedo
developed in the 60ies and 70ies in the Soviet Union. It is capable
of speeds in excess of 200 knots (370 km/h) with a range of 3.8 nautical
miles (7 km). The VA-111 is launched from 533 mm torpedo tubes at 50
knots (93 km/h) before its solid-fuel rocket ignites and propels it
to high speeds. This high speed is due to supercavitation, whereby a
gas bubble, which envelops the torpedo, is created by outward deflection
of water by its specially-shaped nose cone and the expansion of gases
from its engine. This minimizes water contact with the torpedo, significantly
reducing drag.
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