Many thanks all...
Good to know it wasn't a bug or some other random fault in the program.
I guess I'm now surprised that I haven't seen it before and more often, although it might explain one or two other unexplained "misses" way back when; I just didn't think to look on the attack plot on those occasions.
But, it also reminded me of a real-world incident. Acting as a target for MK-48 torpedo tests on the underwater range in the Straits of Georgia at Nanaimo, BC, we were "advised" by the test firing barge, using underwater phone ("Gertrude") that the barge had "lost contact" with the weapon and they recommended we sound collision alarm and set Material Condition Zebra.
Oh really, did they think we hadn't already done that in anticipation of being the first maneuvering target ship to have a 3500lb torpedo travelling at 50kts being wire-guided to pass two yards directly under our keel?
The next helpful report I heard was from Sonar..."high speed screws passing close overhead from the port bow, fading in the baffles, heading away off the starboard quarter." The weapon had apparently gone into a weaving search pattern with random depth changes, and the loss of guidance had not switched on active guidance sonar...thank you God.
The Test Director and I, with several others, found a quiet tavern in Nanaimo that night and we all had several calming beers.
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