DSA 2024: ET80 Anti-Submarine Torpedo by Chinese firm Poly Defence.

At the Defense Services Asia (DSA) 2024 exhibition, the Chinese defense firm Poly Defence showcased its anti-submarine warfare (ASW) torpedo, the ET80.
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The ET80 Rocket-Assisted Anti-Submarine Torpedo at DSA 2024, on the Poly Defense booth. (Picture source: Navy Recognition)

The Yu-8 missile, known as the ET80 Torpedo for export, is the first anti-submarine missile officially inducted into the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Developed by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation's 705 Research Institute, the missile entered development in 2002 and was operationally certified in 2006.

Its tapered, conical head narrows into a cylindrical body with a larger diameter at the rear. The trapezoidal wings and control surfaces are arranged in an "X" pattern around the middle and tail sections of the missile. A solid-fuel rocket engine with tail fins propels the missile, which comprises a nose cone, payload, missile body, ignition and separation modules, and the solid-fuel rocket engine.

The ET80 Torpedo is estimated to be about 5 meters long, with a maximum body diameter of 0.4 meters and a total weight of under 700 kilograms. Its maximum flight speed is around 0.9-1 Mach, with an effective range of 5 to 30 kilometers.

It was initially equipped on the Type 054A frigates. The Yu-8 shares a vertical launch system with the shipborne HQ-16 surface-to-air missile. Other naval vessels can also launch it using YJ-83 anti-ship missile containers.

The Yu-8 made its first live-fire appearance during large-scale PLAN exercises in the South China Sea in July 2015. Its successful test marked a significant advance in China's anti-submarine warfare framework, allowing rapid engagement of submarine targets several kilometers away.

The ET80 Torpedo features advanced compatibility, attack range, and guidance precision. It employs a composite guidance system, enabling it to effectively strike submarines with remarkable speed while also maintaining a degree of anti-ship capability. The missile is capable of transitioning from air to underwater travel to engage its targets, dramatically enhancing response speed compared to traditional torpedoes. The missile's range of several dozen kilometers also extends the detection reach of China's anti-submarine frigates, such as the Type 054A.