Can a modern torpedo sink a battleship?

In order to do this, we will dive deep into naval history. The answer is of course, that one torpedo can sink a ship regardless of her size.

Does the US Navy still use torpedoes?

Deployment. The Mk-48 torpedo is designed to be launched from submarine torpedo tubes. The weapon is carried by all U.S. Navy submarines, including Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines and Seawolf-, Los Angeles-, and Virginia-class attack submarines. It is also used on Canadian, Australian, and Dutch submarines.

How does a modern torpedo sink a ship?

On detonation, triggered by recognition of the ship’s magnetic signature, a spherical gas bubble forms. A high pressure shock wave moves through the water and applies a huge force to the hull crushing it and lifting it out of the water.

Can a single torpedo sink an aircraft carrier?

It is impossible for a defensive aircraft carrier such as the Taiho to be sunk by the hit of a single torpedo. The main cause of the sinking of the Taiho was the fire disaster. The Taiho was constructed to be unsinkable; however, its special fight deck defense turned out to be of no use whatsoever.

What happens to a torpedo that misses its target?

For torpedoes that lacked this feature, most would simply run out of fuel/charge and sink under their own weight. As we previously mentioned, while torpedoes are close to neutral buoyancy, they are ever so slightly less so, meaning they will inexorably sink if they stop moving.

Can a destroyer sink an aircraft carrier?

Although the aircraft carrier has strong defensive capabilities and is often escorted by anti-submarine killers such as destroyers, if the opponent’s submarine is really waiting for an opportunity to attack, it is impossible to intercept 100%.

Can a torpedo sink a cruise ship?

Anyone who knows naval history knows that torpedoes are lethal to ships — just look at what they did to the liner Lusitania, the aircraft carrier USS Wasp (CV 7), and a host of other ships. Back through World War II, the primary way torpedoes did their damage was with a direct hit.

Has any US aircraft carrier ever sunk?

The USS Bismarck Sea Was the Last Commissioned US Aircraft Carrier Sunk by an Enemy. The United States currently uses 11 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers to project global power, so it might be hard to imagine it having 151 carriers during World War II.

What was wrong with American torpedoes?

But they also had a secret weakness: Many of their torpedoes would explode too early, would swim under their targets without exploding, or might even circle back around to hit them. It wasn’t the only flawed torpedo, but most of the Navy’s torpedo problems centered around the Mk. 14.