MDR4851 US NAVY LOADING CART WITH TORPEDO MK.46

The Mark 46 torpedo (Mk.46) is a modern American light torpedo launched from ships or dropped from helicopters and planes. The first prototypes of this weapon were created around 1960, and the weapon entered service with the US Navy in 1963. The weapon weighs 230 kilograms, is 259 centimeters long and 324 mm in diameter. The weight of the warhead is up to 43.9 kilograms. The maximum speed is assumed to be more than 40 knots. The Mark 46 torpedo was originally created for the needs of the US Navy, which at the beginning sought to obtain a new anti-submarine torpedo, which could complement and eventually replace the Mark 44 torpedo in service. When designing the new weapon, special emphasis was placed on two features: the highest possible speed and an increase in the weight of the warhead. Both of these goals were achieved - suffice it to say that the new torpedo was at least 10 knots faster than its predecessor. The weapon turned out to be so successful that until now, after modernization, it remains one of the basic ZOP torpedoes of NATO fleets, including the US Navy. Several development variants were created in the course of production, including: Mk. 46 Mod 1 (torpedo with increased abilities to combat targets sailing at shallow depth), Mk. 46 Mod 2 (dedicated to operation in shallow waters) or the Mk. 46 Mod 4 (version designed to be mounted in the Mark 60 Captor mine).