Fish Type 5 (Yu-5)
It is a Chinese-made thermal-powered sound-guided anti-submarine torpedo. It is currently the matching weapon of the Chinese Navy's latest Type 039 diesel-electric submarine. In the mid-1980s, it decided to develop a large-scale line anti-submarine. Torpedo, as a matching weapon for the new generation of diesel-electric submarines. The guidance of this type of torpedo is a mixed mode of active and passive joint sound guides in the middle of the guide line.
According to the data, China announced the success of the test in early 1990, and in the summer of 1995, the final definition of the summer fish type 5, and began mass production in 1998. At present, the details of the fish type 5 are not known to the outside world. According to various sporadic data, the fish type 5 is the standard 533 millimeters, the length of the projectile is about 8 meters, the warhead weighs about 200 kilograms, and the thruster is the most advanced. The OTTO fuel thermal power system has a maximum speed of 50 knots and a maximum range of more than 30 kilometers. The launch vehicle is a Song-class diesel-electric submarine. This type of torpedo may develop the ability to attack surface ships in the future, and has anti-submarine and attacking ships. The fish type 5 is the first line guided torpedo equipped by the Chinese navy and is used on diesel-electric submarines. The successful development of the fish type 5 has made the Chinese navy's conventional submarine capable of anti-submarine warfare for the first time.
The Yu-5 type anti-submarine torpedo, the Chinese Navy’s first self-developed new generation of thermodynamic sound-line-linked anti-submarine torpedo, code-named YU-5. The torpedo may have been under development after the early 1990s. Little information about the development of this torpedo is known. Some people speculate that the Yu-5 design may be based on the Russian TEST-71. At present, this type of torpedo may be equipped on the latest type 039 diesel-electric submarine of the Chinese Navy.
In the mid-1980s, China decided to develop a large-scale wire-guided anti-submarine torpedo as a supporting weapon and equipment for the 039 new generation diesel-electric submarine. In terms of design, a high-power, long-range OTTO thermodynamic system is required, and the guidance is a hybrid mode of midway line guidance and active and passive combined acoustic guidance at the end.
In the development process, it is believed that many American and Japanese technologies were used. At the beginning of 1990, China announced that it had successfully tested a new type of large torpedo, which should be the initial development of the fish type 5. The successful development of the Type 5 Fish is extremely important for the development of China's torpedo weapons. Technically, the Yu-5 is the first anti-submarine torpedo equipped by the Chinese Navy's diesel-electric submarine. Its successful development shows that Chinese torpedoes have made breakthroughs in thermal energy power technology, which will greatly improve the Chinese Navy’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
In the past, the Chinese Navy was equipped with only one type of anti-submarine torpedo that can be used by submarines, the fish type 3. However, this fish type III torpedo can only be equipped on Xia-class and Han-class nuclear submarines, and diesel-electric submarines cannot be used. Therefore, the huge diesel-electric submarine force of the Chinese Navy is in fact only equipped with anti-ship torpedoes and no anti-submarine torpedoes. In other words, these diesel-electric submarines can only conduct anti-ship operations but not anti-submarine operations. From this point of view, the successful development of the Yu-5 is the first time that a conventional submarine of the Chinese Navy has an anti-submarine warfare capability.
This type may not have a self-use model, but only a foreign trade model like the C701 series of anti-ship missiles.
At least two fish torpedo improved 5 has been completed, as it was completed in the summer of 1995, and enter the Chinese navy in 1998. However, since the information released is very limited, it is unclear what improvements will be made and in which year it will be completed. Improvements include the addition of ASUW capabilities, updated electronic equipment, etc.
The ET34 torpedo is one of two improved versions of the Yu-5 torpedo, and the other is the ET36. Both ET34 and ET36 are powered by silver-zinc batteries instead of the original Otto fuel, and both are short-range torpedoes with a shorter range. The ET34 torpedo and counter-rotating permanent magnet DC motor are reportedly the first line-guided torpedo in China, with optional speed/range.
ET36 torpedo fish 5 waa one of two modified torpedo, and the other is ET34. Both ET34 and ET36 are powered by silver-zinc batteries instead of the original Otto fuel, and both are short-range torpedoes with a shorter range. Most of the components of ET34 and ET36 are shared, while the latter has a larger warhead and, like ET34, ET36 has selectable speed/range.
Type | Yu-5 | ET34 | ET36 |
Diameter | 533 mm | 533 mm | 533 mm |
Length | 7.8 m | 7.8 m | 7.8 m |
Slug | 400 kg | ||
guidance | active / passive acoustic homing + line | active / passive acoustic homing + line guide | active / passive acoustic homing + line guide |
Propulsion | Otto fuel | silver-zinc cell | silver-zinc cell |
range | 30 km (50 knots) | 25 km / h to 25 knots, 10 km / 36 knots, 18 to 20 km (mixing speed) | 18 km / 42 knots, 20 km / 40 knots, 25 km (mixing speed) |
Speed | 50 knots (200-300 meters underwater ) | 18/36 knots | 40 or 42 knots |
maximum practical depth | 500 m | > 300 m | > 300 m |
Related ships equipped |
Type 039G (Song class reform) Type 039 (Song class) |
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