I’ve always thought a navy ship could have arms extending from each side, out say 20′ or so that holds some sort of draping system, like a chain or something, that extends below the bottom of the hull. Then, if a sub fired a torpedo at it, it would either explose on the chain or just get caught up in it.
In: 3375
This is indeed what they used to do. In late 19th, early 20th century warship photos you can see [collapsed poles along the side of the ship](https://www.internetmodeler.com/2003/august/ships/HP_Dreadnought_02.JPG), and on top is bundled netting. When [deployed, it looked like this.](https://external-preview.redd.it/eX80qA3sNKrYpJmEISQweDV-pjQwJjD7XTjmHYqQTBM.jpg?auto=webp&s=77c34aa6495aeac8a5fcd98e8f9892ecc78b69b2)
The problem is, you can’t use torpedo nets while you’re underway, and typically, your ships don’t get attacked by torpedos when you’re in harbor – shallow enclosed waters are not fun to be a submariner in if you get discovered – you get attacked by torpedoes when you’re at sea and underway.
So torpedo nets were done away with largely by WWII and replaced with anti-torpedo bulges – these were a sacrificial fake outer hull, itself compartmentalized to minimize damage and water intake, that would force the torpedo to detonate outside of the main hull of the ship.
We’ve done away with even that because torpedos now are way more effective. Instead of trying to blast a hole in the side of the ship – which because of compartmentalization and damage control can be easily mitigated and would rarely immobilize a ship – they now are designed to detonate underneath the keel or bottom spine of the ship, breaking it in two essentially, buckling the hull and making so many tears and burst seams that saving the ship is impossible.
edit: keel not keep. damn autocorrect.
Latest Answers