F21 (torpedo)

F21 is a heavy-weight torpedo developed in France by DCNS for the French Navy. It has also been selected for the Brazilian Navy.[1]

Characteristics

Weight 1.5 tonnes
Length 19.6 feet (6.0 m)
Diameter 21 inches (0.53 m)
Range 31 nautical miles (57 km)
Propulsion Electric, 2 propellors
Speed 50 knots (93 km/h)
Operational depth > 32 feet (9.8 m)
Mid-course guidance Wire-guided
Tracking Acoustic homing

[1][2]

History

Concept

The F21 was to be a development version of the Italian Black Shark torpedo. In 2008 France signed a development contract for 93 heavy torpedoes for its nuclear submarines, to be delivered from 2015.[3] The original plan called for a derivative of the Black Shark to be built by a joint venture between DCNS, Thales and WASS,[4] but they fell out and DCNS will now be developing the F21 Artemis with Thales and Atlas Elektronik.[3] The F21 shares similarities with the Black Shark, including an electric motor driven by an aluminium silver-oxide (AgO-Al) battery.[5] It will have a warhead of PBX B2211, range of 50 km (31 mi) and speed of 50 knots (93 km/h).[6] As of 2012 the project has a €485m budget with a unit cost of €2.3m (FY12), or €5.2m including development costs.[3]

Qualification

The F21 was first tested on DCNS's Pégase catamaran in February 2013 and a submarine launch is planned for 2014, with production deliveries scheduled to start in late 2015.[7] Qualification testing began in 2016, and were completed in June 2017 off the coast of Var.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 New torpedo planned for French navy passes qualification firing, Richard Tomkins, UPI, 2017-04-23
  2. ↑ French submarines to get new torpedoes, Richard Tomkins, UPI, 2014-10-30
  3. 1 2 3 "Projet de loi de finances pour 2013 : Défense : équipement des forces" (in French). Senate of France. 22 November 2012. Retrieved 2013-11-07.
  4. ↑ "Black Shark torpedo derivative to arm French nuclear submarines". Frontier India News Network. 2008-04-12. Archived from the original on 2012-03-18. Retrieved 2011-05-29.
  5. ↑ "F21 Heavyweight Torpedo - DCNS". archive.org. 21 August 2014. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  6. ↑ Mackenzie, Christina (2 February 2011). "France Adds New Torpedo To Submarine Arsenal". Aviation Week. Archived from the original on 2012-10-08.
  7. ↑ Barreira, Victor (13 November 2013). "F21 torpedo set for French submarine firing in 2014". IHS Jane's Defence Weekly.
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