The Royal Navy’s submarines will continue to be armed with one of the world’s most advanced torpedoes after successful trials of the next-generation Spearfish weapons system. Sea Acceptance Testing of the latest version of the Spearfish torpedo was achieved on board a Vanguard-class submarine during three days of trials off the coast of Scotland. It is the first time the next-generation Spearfish has been tested on a Vanguard-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine and means the boats are now able to meet the latest threats when at sea. The trials involved the weapon engaging surface and submerged targets, enabling the boat’s crew to operate the new weapon, test the ability to fire from the ballistic missile submarine’s combat system and ensure command and control over the weapon.
Commodore Chris Goodsell, the Senior Responsible Owner for the programme and Deputy Director Submarines, said: “These firings continue to be a major step in ensuring the Royal Navy’s Spearfish torpedoes remain ready to face the latest threats, with cutting edge technology at the forefront of the weapon’s success. I would like to thank the teams from across Navy Command, the Submarine Delivery Agency, DE&S and our industry partners who continue to commit time and effort to delivering this vital capability.”
It means both the Royal Navy’s Astute-class and Vanguard-class submarines have completed the testing. Spearfish has been the Silent Service’s weapon of choice for nearly 30 years, capable of destroying frigates, destroyers, and large warships, as well as hostile submarines. This modernised and improved variant – known as Spearfish Mod 1 – features a new warhead, a safer fuel system, a smarter electronic ‘brain’ and a fibre-optic guidance link with its parent submarine to improve its accuracy and lethality. The trials underscored the performance with the ability to integrate the new torpedo with the combat system of an operational submarine. Work continues in transitioning existing Spearfish into the improved Mod 1 version for entry into operational service onboard all Royal Navy submarines by 2025.
The Spearfish torpedo (formally Naval Staff Target 7525) is the heavy torpedo used by the submarines of the Royal Navy. It can be guided by wire or by autonomous active or passive sonar, and provides both anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) capability. By 2004, the new weapon had completely replaced the older Tigerfish torpedo. On 15 December 2014, the Ministry of Defence awarded BAE Systems a £270 million contract to upgrade the Spearfish torpedo. The upgrade includes a new insensitive-munition warhead from TDW, a change to the fuel system to improve safety, full digitisation of the weapon and a new fibre optic guidance link to improve performance. The upgraded ‘MOD 1’ torpedoes will enter service between 2020 and 2024. In February 2021 HMS Talent test fired 3 upgraded ‘MOD 1’ specification Spearfish torpedoes as part of their final testing before entry into service with the Royal Navy.
