T-15 - torpedo nuclear: features

By the end of the 40-ies of the nuclear program in the USSR was developing at an impressive pace. Resources for this task have never regretted. This was largely due to events in Japan, the city where the Americans dropped two atomic bombs. Had to hurry to not be in place of the Japanese.

In 1949, was tested the first bomb… and then it turned out that for delivery to the probable enemy only has low-speed Tu-4. But already then it was clear that, to put it mildly, not an option. First, these planes are very old and could not defend against the interceptors that were on the armament of the United States. Secondly, I didn't want to waste pilots: after the assignment, they had one way out – to try to jump out with a parachute on the territory of Mexico.

This position anyone the country's leadership is not satisfied. Was launched numerous investigations in the field of creation of means of delivery, and one of the most impressive turned out the T-15. Torpedo this, if she were “work” would carry all of the East coast of the United States.

Why the torpedo?

This was due to the fact that in the Navy of the USSR more all was submarines. During the great Patriotic war has been repeatedly proven that they can get to the coast of the enemy, and in the case of a possible nuclear war it was vital. Even if the Americans had the courage to implement your plan "Dropshot”, the torpedo T-15 would be an effective weapon of retaliation.

But make the decision – one thing, but to put it into practice is much harder: the largest diameter torpedo tubes on Soviet submarines – 500 mm, and the diameter of the “miniature” the atomic bomb – all six feet. How to be? The sailors wanted the appearance of a torpedo of adequate size, but the nuclear industry insisted on the contrary.

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Core developers

Who was the head of project T-15? The torpedo was proposed by Alferov V. I. He took an active part in the creation of the first atomic bomb, so the experience he had. He immediately after the test “pushed” his vision of the problem, and insisted on the development of a large torpedo under ‘hydrogen’ charge.

It should be noted that the fleet informed of such a decision is not delivered at all. The fact that Alferov is not used among sailors popular, as he was the initiator of the persecution of the Admiral Kuznetsov. So there is a paradoxical situation, when the naval armament was designed specifically by “land” forces.

It is believed that the author of the project was the infamous Sakharov. Super-torpedo T-15 (capacity of 100 megatons!) was to be used to strike the East coast of the United States. It was assumed that the explosion of ‘the king-torpedo” there is such a wave that will wash away all the infrastructure of the enemy, and not only the coast, but even that which was in the depths of the land. To this day the torpedo T-15 Sakharov considered the most powerful weapon of this class, even adopted her and was not accepted.

Intended layout

The Fleet of the new weapons announced only in 1953, and the sailors themselves in awe of him was not. The fact that the submarines which were to carry this sort of torpedoes the entire first section has turned into a giant apparatus for the launching of this projectile. Thus, the torpedo T-15 – unique in the world practice the case when a separate class of submarines designed to transport a single projectile. However, the characteristics of the latter were such that fully covered the cost.

Total length of the device – more than 20 meters. Among other things, envisaged the presence of two bow torpedo tubes 533 mm, designed for self-defense. The place was so little that the crew had only two torpedoes (the stock was not).

Estimated characteristics of the T-15

So what was different from the T-15? The torpedo can strike anyone with its monumental size. Its length was 23 meters, and weight reaches 40 tons. And directly to ground combat units had four tons. All the rest – a huge battery, which have enough resources to develop speed around 29 knots. It was assumed that the cruising range could be up to 30 kilometers. What was the “filling” T-15? Torpedo, most likely, could carry on Board only a thermonuclear warhead.

The Latter had developed a separate KB under the leadership of Y. B. Khariton Undermining could be carried out as contact fuse, and by means of telemetry. The first option recommended for those cases, if the case is already going to nuclear war the boat would have noticed the enemy forces. In this case there is a danger that the torpedo T-15 Sakharov already out of the torpedo tube, but that's very sub up to that time could destroy. For fire control used a specially created for this complex “Tantalum”.

When the theory diverges from practice

The Main technical characteristics of the carrier of torpedoes was approved at the end of 1953. By July 1954 was ready with a preliminary draft of the submarine, on Board which hadto be a nuclear torpedo T-15. By the end of the year he was considered the first instance and recommended that the further submission of the documentation for discussion. Only then the project was made Admiral Kotov, who at the time was the commander of the Soviet Navy. It was then that in entered and other chiefs from the fleet.

Expert Insights

They formed an expert Commission, which was to investigate General feasibility of such a project. Once it became clear that the leadership of the Navy didn't like that not only is the Soviet nuclear torpedo T-15, but also the characteristics of submarines, aboard which was supposed to place such weapons. Experts rightly pointed out that the cost of such a missile absurdly high, it is necessary to constantly maintained in readiness, and do it with such dimensions of the torpedo will be very difficult.

In addition, the crew of the submarine has actually become suicide bombers: the explosion of a charge capacity of 100 Megatons, they, along with a submarine, just be ripped to pieces, as from the epicenter, they would be able to withdraw a maximum of 100 kilometers.

As a result, finally decided that the Soviet torpedo T-15 – the project is rather dubious, and expedient to create such weapons, which could be used through conventional 533-mm torpedo tubes. In March 1955, all surveys were thrown in this area. Itself a nuclear torpedo T-15 was only on paper.

What came to replace the T-15?

It was replaced by the torpedo T-5. Also atomic, but already possessed of an adequate size. However, the difficulties the developers had to overcome a lot. For example, for a long time could not “teach” the torpedo not to stray from the desired depth. Moreover, during sea trials it in four cases out of 15 were able to initiate the triggering of the fuse “self”.

In addition, for the normal functioning of the warhead, are extremely picky due to the large amount of electronics required in the temperature range 5-20 degrees Celsius. Given the fact that our submarines often visited the Arctic circle, the requirements seemed very heavy.

Despite this, in April 1955 on the New Earth was tested a new warhead torpedoes. Blew it into the sea, at a depth of about 12 meters. Used weakened charge, the capacity of which does not exceed three kilotons. It should be noted that the warhead, which was equipped with the ‘cobalt’ torpedo T-15, in real conditions was not tested before. And this is understandable: the power of “products”, it is “gruel”, not to exceed 60 megatons. Test charge is twice as powerful as the engineers and the military simply decided not to.

By the Way, in the not so distant past our country was developing a new ICBM-based rocket "proton", the capacity of which had to exceed… 150 megatons. But even this project further drawings failed because of its extreme power. Still nobody can confirm or deny the possibility of an uncontrolled thermonuclear chain reaction in the test of weapons of such power.

State tests

The State tests the successor to T-15 was launched in 1957. According to their program, there were three phases are planned: one shot “disc”, the second – a full-fledged combat torpedo, but without the atomic toppings, the third – the real undermining of the T-5 with a nuclear warhead.

All the steps were successful, but found many problems, including some deviation of the projectile from the course, and also some problems in control systems. Despite this, all the negative points were minor, the program to develop nuclear torpedoes finally succeeded.

End of story

With the weapons they took in 1958. Have released their limited edition in Alma-ATA. But already in 1960 the production was completely phased out. There were many reasons. First, “rampant” development (five years) could not affect the ride qualities that were markedly lower than those of the torpedoes that were already in service. Secondly, in 1960, the troops began to enter the special serial 533-mm torpedo, which could use a nuclear warhead. Because of this development, the special weapon of this type was phased out.

The torpedo T-15, the characteristics of which we have described, as well as T-5, Soviet science was given a lot of valuable information that later was used to create special ammunition.