Danish Navy frigate Iver Huitfeldt has recently tested the CANTO® torpedo decoy system off the coast of North Zealand, Denmark.
The frigate served as a platform for French DCNS, UK’s Chemring Countermeasures and Danish Terma to conduct joint operational trials of their torpedo defence solution.
This solution integrates Terma’s C-Guard decoy launching system with DCNS’ CANTO torpedo decoy and the Chemring Launch Module.
The main purpose of the trials was to confirm the live operation of the CANTO 130 mm decoy in its purpose to lure incoming torpedoes from their original target; the ship launching the decoy.
Additionally, the trials aimed to prove the performance of the Chemring launch module and the Terma C-Guard ability to launch the decoy.
Once the CANTO 130 mm decoy is launched and enters the water, it starts generating numerous acoustic signals which mask the noise from the ship and generate copious false targets, hence diluting/confusing the homing ability of the incoming torpedo.
By deploying decoys correctly with associated evasive maneuvers, the ship is able to steer away from the torpedo target zone to safety while the torpedo, homing on the false targets presented by the decoy, eventually dissipates all its energy or fuel.
According to René d’Ambrières , DCNS Underwater Weapons Business Unit Director, the trial results came out very successful: “All expectations set before the trials were fulfilled and DCNS, Chemring, and Terma are all very satisfied to confirm their capacity to develop cutting-edge anti-torpedo warfare capabilities, including the design and production of the countermeasure, sea-proven on board naval platforms, which is a real asset in the naval market worldwide.”
According to Terma, C-Guard is now, as a result of the successful trial, the first and currently the only decoy launching system fully integrated with the CANTO 130 mm anti-torpedo functionality.