ET52 torpedo
Encyclopedia
ET52 torpedo is the Chinese development of the Italian
Alenia A244-S
light ASW
acoustic homing torpedo, and is considered by many domestic Chinese sources as Chinese equivalent of the A244-S
Mod. 2 version. ET52 is essentially the A244-S
torpedo with technologies of US Mk 46 Mod. 2 torpedo
incorporated.
China purchased around 40 Italian
Alenia A244-S
light ASW torpedo in 1987 for evaluation and reverse engineering. At the time, China was in the process of mastering the license production of the US Mk 46 Mod. 2 torpedo
according to the deal first signed between China and USA in 1985. The 705th Institute (also known as Xi'an
Precision Machinery Research Institute, 西安精密机械研究所) tasked to evaluate and reverse engineering the A244-S
torpedo was also responsible for Mk 46 Mod. 2 torpedo
program in China, with many of the team members working on both projects. Chinese researchers suggested that since Otto fuel II
powered torpedo could cost as much as three times of electrically powered torpedo, the cheaper electrically powered torpedo should be developed also. The suggestion was accepted, and it was decided to that the technologies of both the Mk 46 Mod. 2 torpedo
and A244-S
torpedo should be applied to each other to enhance the performance, and 705th Institute (also known as Xi'an
Precision Machinery Research Institute, 西安精密机械研究所) was put in charge of A244-S torpedo project in addition to the Mk 46 Mod. 2 torpedo project. Although incorporating the best features to each other certainly improved the performance for both torpedoes, the greatest benefit by far was that due to many shared components, production techniques, and other technologies, the logistic support was significantly reduced and the overall cost was also significantly lowered. A derivative of ET52 has been exhibited at various defense exhibitions by China Shipbuilding Co., and this derivative uses Otto fuel instead of battery.
Specifications:
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Alenia A244-S
A244-S
The A244-s is a lightweight, fire-and-forget torpedo employed for anti-submarine warfare. They can be deployed from the surface or by aircraft, and locate the target by means of an acoustic seeker...
light ASW
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
acoustic homing torpedo, and is considered by many domestic Chinese sources as Chinese equivalent of the A244-S
A244-S
The A244-s is a lightweight, fire-and-forget torpedo employed for anti-submarine warfare. They can be deployed from the surface or by aircraft, and locate the target by means of an acoustic seeker...
Mod. 2 version. ET52 is essentially the A244-S
A244-S
The A244-s is a lightweight, fire-and-forget torpedo employed for anti-submarine warfare. They can be deployed from the surface or by aircraft, and locate the target by means of an acoustic seeker...
torpedo with technologies of US Mk 46 Mod. 2 torpedo
Mark 46 torpedo
Designed to attack high-performance submarines, the Mark 46 torpedo is the backbone of the U.S. Navy's lightweight ASW torpedo inventory, and is the current NATO standard. These aerial torpedoes, such as the Mark 46 Mod 5, are expected to remain in service until the year 2015...
incorporated.
China purchased around 40 Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Alenia A244-S
A244-S
The A244-s is a lightweight, fire-and-forget torpedo employed for anti-submarine warfare. They can be deployed from the surface or by aircraft, and locate the target by means of an acoustic seeker...
light ASW torpedo in 1987 for evaluation and reverse engineering. At the time, China was in the process of mastering the license production of the US Mk 46 Mod. 2 torpedo
Mark 46 torpedo
Designed to attack high-performance submarines, the Mark 46 torpedo is the backbone of the U.S. Navy's lightweight ASW torpedo inventory, and is the current NATO standard. These aerial torpedoes, such as the Mark 46 Mod 5, are expected to remain in service until the year 2015...
according to the deal first signed between China and USA in 1985. The 705th Institute (also known as Xi'an
Xi'an
Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty...
Precision Machinery Research Institute, 西安精密机械研究所) tasked to evaluate and reverse engineering the A244-S
A244-S
The A244-s is a lightweight, fire-and-forget torpedo employed for anti-submarine warfare. They can be deployed from the surface or by aircraft, and locate the target by means of an acoustic seeker...
torpedo was also responsible for Mk 46 Mod. 2 torpedo
Mark 46 torpedo
Designed to attack high-performance submarines, the Mark 46 torpedo is the backbone of the U.S. Navy's lightweight ASW torpedo inventory, and is the current NATO standard. These aerial torpedoes, such as the Mark 46 Mod 5, are expected to remain in service until the year 2015...
program in China, with many of the team members working on both projects. Chinese researchers suggested that since Otto fuel II
Otto fuel II
Otto fuel II is a monopropellant used to drive torpedoes and other weapon systems. It is not related to the Otto cycle.-Properties:This distinct-smelling, reddish-orange, oily liquid is a mixture of three synthetic substances: propylene glycol dinitrate , 2-nitrodiphenylamine, and dibutyl...
powered torpedo could cost as much as three times of electrically powered torpedo, the cheaper electrically powered torpedo should be developed also. The suggestion was accepted, and it was decided to that the technologies of both the Mk 46 Mod. 2 torpedo
Mark 46 torpedo
Designed to attack high-performance submarines, the Mark 46 torpedo is the backbone of the U.S. Navy's lightweight ASW torpedo inventory, and is the current NATO standard. These aerial torpedoes, such as the Mark 46 Mod 5, are expected to remain in service until the year 2015...
and A244-S
A244-S
The A244-s is a lightweight, fire-and-forget torpedo employed for anti-submarine warfare. They can be deployed from the surface or by aircraft, and locate the target by means of an acoustic seeker...
torpedo should be applied to each other to enhance the performance, and 705th Institute (also known as Xi'an
Xi'an
Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty...
Precision Machinery Research Institute, 西安精密机械研究所) was put in charge of A244-S torpedo project in addition to the Mk 46 Mod. 2 torpedo project. Although incorporating the best features to each other certainly improved the performance for both torpedoes, the greatest benefit by far was that due to many shared components, production techniques, and other technologies, the logistic support was significantly reduced and the overall cost was also significantly lowered. A derivative of ET52 has been exhibited at various defense exhibitions by China Shipbuilding Co., and this derivative uses Otto fuel instead of battery.
Specifications:
- Diameter: 324 mm
- Length: 2.6 m
- Weight: 235 kg
- Warhead: 34 kg
- Propellant: Electric
- Speed: 30 kt (56 km/h)
- Range: 6 km