Taiwan requests to United States 18 MK-48 Mod 6 Advanced Technology torpedoes.

The U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to TECRO (Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States) of eighteen (18) MK-48 Mod 6 Advanced Technology (AT) Heavy Weight Torpedoes (HWT) and related equipment for an estimated cost of $180 million.
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U.S. Sailors assigned to the Virginia-class attack submarine USS California (SSN 781) guide an MK-48 inert training torpedo into the weapon loading skid during an expeditionary ordnance loading exercise aboard Naval Station Rota, Spain. (Picture source U.S. Navy)

TECRO (Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States) has requested to buy eighteen (18) MK-48 Mod 6 Advanced Technology (AT) Heavy Weight Torpedoes (HWT). Also included are spare parts, support and test equipment, shipping and shipping containers, operator manuals, technical documentation, training, U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics support. The total estimated program cost is $180 million.

The MK 48 Mod 6 Advanced Technology (AT) is a heavyweight torpedo designed for optimum effectiveness against all targets, in both littoral and deep-water environments. With guaranteed supportability through 2025, it is a cost-effective, up-to-date configuration of the MK 48 family designed to handle emerging threats.

Built on proven and reliable MK 48 components, the MK 48 Mod 6AT offers an effective torpedo at low total ownership cost, providing the optimal balance for today's submarine force. As upgrades to the MK 48 Mod 4, the MK 48 Mod 6AT use MK 48 sonar, guidance and control, electrical power system, and quieting technology in order to maximize weapon effectiveness and minimize cost. The torpedo is capable of autonomous operation or control via wire link. The MK 48 Mod 6AT features advanced sonar, combined with an advanced digital signal processor for improved low Doppler target detection and a search volume of more than 1.6 billion cubic meters.

Software-based guidance and control enables autonomous operation, "fire and forget" tactics, simultaneous multiple target engagement and close-in attack. MK 48 quieting technology applied to the MK 48 Mod 4 propulsion system significantly reduces self-noise to enable covert deployment and minimize detection. All MK 48 torpedoes use Otto Fuel II as the propellant. Hailed as an inexpensive and safe alternative to hydrogen peroxide-based fuels and electric propulsion, Otto Fuel II has an unblemished safety record during 30 years of use on U.S. submarines. It was designed with occupational safety in mind, can be safely stored for decades, and its use does not impose any special construction or isolation requirements. Otto Fuel II is a stable, safe, high-energy density fuel providing longrange capability to MK 48 torpedoes.

The MK 48 Mod 6AT has been proven through the successful completion of more than 8,600 Mod 5/6 in-water exercise and warshot trials. MK 48 has successfully completed five warshot live-fire tests, including two SINKEX exercises. Rigorous testing through more than 20,000 hardware-in- the-loop simulations has demonstrated the superior performance of the MK 48. Its performance and reliability have made it a valued weapon in the U.S. submarine force arsenal for more than ten years.