Super-cavitating rifle ammunition!

[kage69]

I'm sure many posters here are aware of the Shkval, a Russian super-cavitation torpedo that can achieve extreme underwater speeds. But check this out.

"NATIONAL HARBOR, Maryland — A Norwegian company hopes the U.S. Navy will see the value in its revolutionary product: bullets that “swim” and remain effective on target for significant distances underwater."

https://kitup.military.com/2017/04/swimming-bullets-can-obliterate-target-underwater.html

Looks way more useful and practical than the long underwater rounds the Russians have, and can scale to various platforms as well. Works wet or dry. Compatible with existing weapons. The design has some seriously cool anti-ricochet properties as well, incredibly handy. Usually you have to go low velocity and big projectile to minimize ricochet (think .450 and .458). And even then it's iffy. In a high velocity load these rounds will dominate.

Did life just get more complicated for subs? This tech, and the American tradition of putting large bore cannons on attack aircraft, could prove unsettling for the Russian and Chinese navies I'll wager.

 

[pcgeek11]

Did life just get more complicated for subs? This tech, and the American tradition of putting large bore cannons on attack aircraft, could prove unsettling for the Russian and Chinese navies I'll wager.

Not much as most submarines have a hull that is about 3 inches thick of steel. Then to get to the hull it will have to go through the steel superstructure and or ballast tanks.

The hard part would be locating the submarine in the first place as all they have to do is go deep. The article said " The 12.7mm bullet, a machine gun round, has an effective range of 2,200 meters through the air and 60 meters underwater, according to the company. The 7.62 and 5.56 rifle rounds are effective underwater at 22 and 14 meters, respectively ".

60 meters is not very deep at all ( 196.85 feet ). It is nothing for a submarine to go a lot deeper than that.

 

[Ancalagon44]

Not much as most submarines have a hull that is about 3 inches thick of steel. Then to get to the hull it will have to go through the steel superstructure and or ballast tanks.

The hard part would be locating the submarine in the first place as all they have to do is go deep. The article said " The 12.7mm bullet, a machine gun round, has an effective range of 2,200 meters through the air and 60 meters underwater, according to the company. The 7.62 and 5.56 rifle rounds are effective underwater at 22 and 14 meters, respectively ".

60 meters is not very deep at all ( 196.85 feet ). It is nothing for a submarine to go a lot deeper than that.

Presumably, if they were really trying to hunt submarines with a helicopter, they'd use larger calibre ammunition than 12.7mm.

I mean, even if a submarine was sitting in a dock and you had a clear shot of it, you probably wouldn't bother with a 12.7mm. You might as well throw rocks at it.

However.... imagine if they could adapt this for an A10.... You'd need a spotter or some such, but it would be great! Submarine would have no idea what hit it.

 

[pcgeek11]

Presumably, if they were really trying to hunt submarines with a helicopter, they'd use larger calibre ammunition than 12.7mm.

I mean, even if a submarine was sitting in a dock and you had a clear shot of it, you probably wouldn't bother with a 12.7mm. You might as well throw rocks at it.

However.... imagine if they could adapt this for an A10.... You'd need a spotter or some such, but it would be great! Submarine would have no idea what hit it.

Not much of a chance really. Submarines do not run around on the surface as they did in diesel boat days.

It is a big ocean good luck finding one.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

Torpedos haven't been designed to strike a target for decades. They get in close proximity and explode, normally below the target to blow a hole in the water and cause the ship or submarine to break in half/sink quickly.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Not much as most submarines have a hull that is about 3 inches thick of steel. Then to get to the hull it will have to go through the steel superstructure and or ballast tanks.

The hard part would be locating the submarine in the first place as all they have to do is go deep. The article said " The 12.7mm bullet, a machine gun round, has an effective range of 2,200 meters through the air and 60 meters underwater, according to the company. The 7.62 and 5.56 rifle rounds are effective underwater at 22 and 14 meters, respectively ".

60 meters is not very deep at all ( 196.85 feet ). It is nothing for a submarine to go a lot deeper than that.

But how cool would it be if underwater warfare became like WW2 air battles bombers fighting off smaller fighters or air duels. Substitute bomber for sub and fighter for attack sub

Realistically this is most likely for NK subs which can't dive very deep, are small and fragile plus have to surface frequently for repairs

 

[kage69]

Torpedos haven't been designed to strike a target for decades. They get in close proximity and explode, normally below the target to blow a hole in the water and cause the ship or submarine to break in half/sink quickly.

I don't understand why you think bringing up cracking the keel is relevant to anything previous in the thread. The mention of the Shkval was regarding it's use of super-cavitation - i.e, the issue of propulsion, and how it's used in this new tech. You do understand this thread is about new projectiles from guns, right?

 

[kage69]

Presumably, if they were really trying to hunt submarines with a helicopter, they'd use larger calibre ammunition than 12.7mm.

I mean, even if a submarine was sitting in a dock and you had a clear shot of it, you probably wouldn't bother with a 12.7mm. You might as well throw rocks at it.

However.... imagine if they could adapt this for an A10.... You'd need a spotter or some such, but it would be great! Submarine would have no idea what hit it.

The 30mm on the A-10 is kind of overrated, originally designed to engage medium tanks. It was needed because at the time we didn't have good missiles that were cost effective and practical. I was envisioning a Spectre lobbing 105mm rounds of this stuff towards targets on the surface or submerged.

 

[sdifox]

What is this for? Yet another remake of Thunderball?

 

[Fanatical Meat]

The 30mm on the A-10 is kind of overrated, originally designed to engage medium tanks. It was needed because at the time we didn't have good missiles that were cost effective and practical. I was envisioning a Spectre lobbing 105mm rounds of this stuff towards targets on the surface or submerged.

Not so sure about that

 

[theeedude]

They should create a new underwater hunting sport, or gun fishing, and market that.