Iran's Underwater Missile

So Iran has test-fired a torpedo which moves pretty fast. It's being played up by the media as if this somehow gives them a massive advantage over US forces in the Gulf- but it leaves aside some crucial questions; namely, the Iranian's ability to identify and target a US submarine before they themselves are destroyed.

If it does come to a shooting war with Iran a fast torpedo will not give them much advantage; particularly with America's military superiority in just about every field. Pretty hard for an Iranian ship to hit a sub with this missile if they've just been targeted by an American fighter.

For a superb discussion on the matter the best place to head to is ACE. Here's a comment from one of his readers;

They blind *you* when you fire them (they are a hideously loud noise inbetween you and your target), so you're going to have to use radar if you want to track surface ships. Submarines: forget it. Not unless you're very close and are using it as a "dumbfire" missile.

Obviously, if you fire this from a submarine, you've just advertised your position to half the hemisphere.

More articles can be found on ACE here, here, here and here.