Dec 05 - Ready, Aim, FIRE!
HMNZ Ships TE KAHA and ENDEAVOUR participated in two combined exercises with the Royal Australian Navy in November.
During a fortnight of Anti Submarine Warfare exercises, TE KAHA was able to launch two torpedoes, one from onboard the ship and the other from the Seasprite helicopter embarked for her 5 1/2 month deployment around Australia and Asia.
Exercise torpedoes were used during the training firing. The warhead is replaced with telemetry electronics rather than explosives; when the torpedoes run out of fuel, they surface and are collected in order to analyse the data.
The torpedo tubes are mounted on both sides of the ship. The torpedoes are blasted from them with a sudden release of compressed air. The air-launched torpedo is identical to the surface launched one, but has a parachute added to slow the descent once dropped from the aircraft.
The Royal Australian Navy had five ships and two submarines involved in this exercise, with aircraft from both New Zealand and Australia providing support.
Image: A successful exercise torpedo firing from onboard TE KAHA, Nov 05.