A poster displayed above the test vehicle explained that ADD research focuses on the cavitator design to optimize the supercavitating torpedo performance. The poster on display at the MADEX 2017 show read:

Development of key technologies for supercavitating torpedo:

- Supercavitator design technology

- Cavity shapes and hydrodynamic forces prediction technology

- High-speed cavitation tunnel for supercavitation experiment



Talking to Navy Recognition during MADEX, an ADD engineer working on the project confirmed that the development which started in 2013 focused so far on the cavitator design. "Test in tanks started in 2015 and maybe live tests in the sea will take place around 2020" the engineer told us.



The diameter of the current test vehicle is 125mm (for comparison, the famous Russian VA-111 Shkval torpedo is 533mm in diameter). The engineer told us that the dimensions of the actual torpedo has not been decided yet. The propulsor was tested with solid fueld and the expected top speed is 100 meters per second (around 200 knots which is similar to the Shkval speed). He added that the supercavitating torpedo is set to have "a sonar in the head and fins in the back for steering".

