Mark 45 torpedo
| Mark 45 torpedo | |
|---|---|
Mark 45 torpedo on display in Aiea, Hawaii, United States | |
| Type | Nuclear antisubmarine torpedo |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1958–1977 |
| Used by | United States Navy |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Applied Research Laboratory, University of Washington Westinghouse Electric |
| Designed | 1957 |
| Manufacturer | Westinghouse Electric |
| Produced | 1958 |
| No. built | 600 |
| Variants | Mark 45 Mod 0 Mark 45 Mod 1 Mark 45 Mod 2 Mark 45 Freedom |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 2,330 lb (1,060 kg) Mk 45 Mod 0 2,213 lb (1,004 kg) Mk 45 Mods 1 and 2 2,555 lb (1,159 kg) Mk 45F Mods 0 and 1 |
| Length | 225 inches (5.72 m) Mk 45 Mod 0, Mk 45F Mods 0 and 1 227 inches (5.77 m) Mk 45 Mods 1 and 2 |
| Diameter | 19 inches (483 mm) |
| Warhead | W34 nuclear warhead |
| Blast yield | 11 kilotons Mod 0 9 kilotons Mods 1 and 2 |
| Engine | Electric |
Operational range | 11,000 to 15,000 yards (10 to 14 km) |
| Maximum speed | 40 kn (74 km/h) |
Guidance system | Gyroscope and wire |
Launch platform | Submarines |
The Mark 45 anti-submarine torpedo, a.k.a. ASTOR, was a submarine-launched wire-guided nuclear torpedo designed by the United States Navy for use against high-speed, deep-diving, enemy submarines. This was one of several weapons recommended for implementation by Project Nobska, a 1956 summer study on submarine warfare. The 19-inch (483 mm) torpedo was fitted with a W34 nuclear warhead. The need to maintain direct control over the warhead meant that a wire connection had to be maintained between the torpedo and submarine until detonation. Wire guidance systems were piggybacked onto this cable, and the torpedo had no homing capability. The design was completed in 1957, and 600 torpedoes were built before 1976, whereupon ASTOR was replaced by the Mark 48 torpedo.