A French nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) test-fired an F21 torpedo last week, sinking a decommissioned warship to the bottom.
The target vessel had been depolluted before the test, obviating any environmental concerns.
The demonstration was part of Polaris exercises, which are designed to provide more complex and intense training to the crew and vessels.
This is the first time live ammo has been tested by the French Navy in two decades, underlining a strategic message of preparedness behind the test.
Other reasons warhead-tipped torpedoes are rarely tested now by European navies are new environmental standards and the non-availability of appropriate decommissioned targets.
“The firing was a success. It testifies to the Navy’s high level of preparation, against a backdrop of escalating conflicts and complex aero maritime operations,” Naval News quoted the French Navy Chief of Staff – Admiral Nicolas Vaujour as saying.
“The main objective: to raise the level of training and reinforce crew know-how. The firing was carried out under the most realistic conditions possible, with scenarios adapted to the new threats.”
F21 Torpedo
A replacement for the F17, the next-generation heavy weight F21 is designed for Rubis-class and Suffren-class nuclear-powered attack submarines, as well as nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines.
The first batch of F21s was delivered in November 2019.
Weighing 1.5 tons, the torpedo can sink enemy ships and submarines in deep sea and coastal areas featuring high noise and shipping.
It can move at a speed of 50 knots (93 kilometers/ 58 miles per hour) and maneuver and orient itself in complex spaces thanks to onboard intelligence.
The Naval Group weapon has a range of 31 nautical miles (35 miles/57 kilometers) and an operational depth of 33 feet (10 meters) to 1,630 feet (500 meters).
Additional features include initial wire-guidance and then acoustic homing and advanced countermeasure resistance.
