Quote:
Originally Posted by CDR DPH
Swimout: Tube is flooded, torp motor starts, torp swims out of the tube under its own power
Compressed air: Torp is pushed out of the tube by a burst of compressed air, torp motor starts and the torp swims off.
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Kinda/sorta. I mean, yes, the alternative is 'compressed air', but it's not like older subs where the air actually was shot
into the tube. OMG, the launch transient from *that* would be INSANE. You instead effectively have a tank of water, lets say more-or-less torpedo size, and the compressed air is blasted into THAT, which causes the water pressure in the tube to suddenly increase and force the torpedo out before it starts its engine. Still creates a launch transient, of course.
(The key point being that starting a fuel-burning torpedo's engine while it's in the tube, so it can run out on its own, is...not a great idea. The Mk37, like its Mk18 predecessor, were entirely 'electric' torpedoes, and so there was considered to be much less risk with them just starting their engine while inside the boat and 'swimming out' on their own power.)