All language subtitles for World of Weapons S01E07 War at Sea

THEY ARE THE
TOOLS OF HUMAN CONFLICT

AND SURVIVAL,

INGENIOUS,

POWERFUL,

DESTRUCTIVE.

FROM THE ANCIENT TO THE MODERN,

WAR WEAPONS COMPRISE AN
EVER-EVOLVING ARSENAL

THAT'S TRANSFORMED COMBAT,

HELPED BUILD EMPIRES,

DESTROY THEM, AND
DETER AGGRESSION.

THIS SERIES HIGHLIGHTS
SOME OF THE WORLD'S

MOST IMPORTANT AND
INNOVATIVE WEAPONS.

THROUGH UNIQUE EXPERIMENTS,

Machnau: I'M READY TO FIRE.

WE EXPLORE
HOW AND WHY THEY WORK.

IT'S LIKE A
NUCLEAR WEAPON.

WHAT PROBLEMS THEY
SOLVE ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

IF THAT GOES OFF,
THIS COULD BE SERIOUS.

AND GIVE FRESH INSIGHT

LET'S GO!

INTO THEIR
ROLE IN HISTORY.

YOU'RE IN
THE MINEFIELD, STOP!

677 A.D.
WAR OVER CONSTANTINOPLE.

MUSLIM ARABIC INVADERS LAYSIEGE TO THE BYZANTINE CAPITAL.

SHIPS BLOCK THE CITY WALLS,
CUTTING OFF ALL SUPPLIES.

THE RESULT, FAMINE.

IN THE SEVENTH CENTURY,CONSTANTINOPLE IS THE CITY.

IT'S THE LARGEST
CITY IN THE WORLD,

IT'S THE CAPITAL OF WHAT
IS STILL A VERY POWERFUL

EAST ROMAN OR BYZANTINE EMPIRE,

AND IT'S THE GATEWAY TO EUROPE.

SO THIS IS A VERY
SERIOUS ATTACK,

WHICH COULD HAVE HAD ENORMOUS
GEOPOLITICAL CONSEQUENCES.

IT'S
A WAR OF RELIGIONS.

SINCE THE DEATH OF THE
PROPHET MUHAMMAD IN 632,

ISLAM HAS SPREAD RAPIDLY.

IN 635, ARAB WARRIORS
CONQUER SYRIA.

IN 637, THEY SEIZE
MODERN DAY IRAQ,

FOLLOWED BY PERSIA,
PALESTINE, AND EGYPT.

IN THE NORTH, THE ISLAMIC
PUSH FOR EXPANSION

CLASHES WITH THE BYZANTINE
EMPIRE AND ITS CAPITAL,

CONSTANTINOPLE, THE HEART
OF ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY.

A BRILLIANT INVENTOR NAMED
KALLINIKOS OFFERS HELP.

NO PORTRAIT OF HIM EXISTS,

BUT WE KNOW THAT HE
WORKED AS AN ARCHITECT

AND PROBABLY WAS FROM
PRESENT-DAY LEBANON.

HE PRESENTS CONSTANTINE
IV WITH A NEW WEAPON,

A MYSTERIOUS SUBSTANCE
THAT, WHEN IGNITED,

BURNS BRIGHT AND
HOT, GREEK FIRE.

WITH IT, THEY HOPE TO FINALLY
END THE MUSLIM BLOCKADE.

THE EXACT COMPOSITION OF
GREEK FIRE IS STILL UNKNOWN.

WEAPONS EXPERT STEPHEN BULL

WANTS TO DETERMINE THE
MOST PROBABLE FORMULA.

ONE OF OUR MOST TERRIFYING

AND MYSTERIOUS
EXPERIMENTS IS GREEK FIRE.

MYSTERIOUS BECAUSE THE
ORIGINAL RECIPE HAS BEEN LOST.

AND WHAT WE HAVE TO
DO IS BRING TOGETHER

SOME OF THE MOST
LIKELY INGREDIENTS.

IN
BYZANTIUM, THE BLEND

OF THE FLAMMABLE WEAPON
WAS A STATE SECRET.

HISTORICAL ACCOUNTS MENTIONAMOUNTS OF SULFUR, CAUSTIC LIME,

SALTPETER, AND CRUDE
OIL, WHICH AT THE TIME

WAS REFERRED TO BY
ITS GREEK NAME NAPHTHA

AND EXTRACTED DIRECTLY
FROM THE GROUND

AT SITES IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

OIL IS THE CORE OF GREEK FIRE.

FOR THE EXPERIMENT,
STEPHEN BULL WANTS TO CHECK

THE PROPORTION OF
THE INGREDIENTS.

SO, LET'S LIGHT UP THIS
SAMPLE AND SEE HOW IT WORKS.

IT'S BURNING QUITE NICELY.

BUT IS THISMIXTURE REALLY A WONDER WEAPON?

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT COMES
INTO CONTACT WITH WATER,

AS IT HAD TO OFF THE
COAST OF CONSTANTINOPLE?

OBVIOUSLY, THAT WOULD BE
A VERY FOOLISH THING TO DO.

IT SEEMS TO MAKE THE FIRE WORSE.

IT SPLUTTERS, FADES, AND
THEN IT GETS WORSE AGAIN.

SINCE OIL
IS THE MAIN INGREDIENT

OF THE FUEL, IT REALLY BLAZES,

AND THE INGREDIENTS MAKE THE
WHOLE THING VERY, VERY STICKY.

SO THAT MEANS THAT ONCE YOU
GET IT ONTO AN ENEMY SHIP

OR ONTO A PERSON, IT STICKS,
AND THEN YOU START TO BURN.

AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT
TO GET IT OFF.

IF A SHIP WAS
ATTACKED WITH GREEK FIRE,

IT COULDN'T BE
EXTINGUISHED WITH SEAWATER.

SO WHAT COULD STOP
THIS LIQUID FIRE?

FINALLY,

SOMETHING WE WOULD RECOGNIZE
FROM FIRE BUCKETS,

SAND, SO WE'RE GONNA
GIVE SAND A GO.

SAND
SMOTHERS THE FLAMES.

BUT DUE TO ITS WEIGHT,
A LARGE SUPPLY OF SAND

WAS OUT OF THE QUESTION
FOR THE MUSLIM WARSHIPS.

TO HAVE THIS STUFF
BURNING YOUR SHIP,

YOU'VE REALLY GOT NO OPTION.

ABANDON SHIP OR DIE.

WITH
THEIR NEW FIRE WEAPON,

THE BYZANTINES WANT TO BURN
DOWN THE ATTACKERS' FLEET.

BUT THEY FACE ANOTHER PROBLEM.

HOW DO THEY MANAGE TO GET THE
FLAMES TO THE ENEMY SHIPS?

THE SOLUTION IS A PRIMITIVE
PUMP, KNOWN AS A SIPHON,

WHICH NORMALLY WOULD
EXPEL A JET OF WATER.

ONLY INSTEAD OF SPITTING
WATER, IT SPITS FIRE.

STEPHEN BULL HAD THIS KIND OF
PUMP RECREATED FOR HIS TEST.

ON THE BACK SIDE,

IT HAS A CONTAINER FOR
THE FLAMMABLE LIQUID.

WITH A DOUBLE CYLINDER PUMP,

THE LIQUID MOVES THROUGH A
PIPE OR HOSE UP TO THE NOZZLE.

WITH THE HELP OF A FIRE BOWL,
THE LIQUID IS THEN IGNITED.

SO NOW WE'RE
DOING IT FOR REAL.

WE'VE GOT NOT JUST A SMALL
SAMPLE OF GREEK FIRE.

WE'VE GOT A WHOLE SIPHON FULL.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE,

WE'RE NEEDING TO TAKE
QUITE A FEW PRECAUTIONS.

WE'VE GOT FIRE SUITS, AND WEGOT A FIRE TRUCK RIGHT ON HAND.

AND I'M REALLY NOT QUITE SURE
HOW THIS IS GONNA WORK OUT.

AND TO SAY THE LEAST,
I AM A LITTLE NERVOUS.

HOW DANGEROUS

IS A REPLICA BYZANTINE
FLAMETHROWER?

Man: EVERYBODY READY?

WE'RE GONNA GO NOW.

WE CAN SEE THAT
THE IGNITION SYSTEM

IS BLAZING AWAY MERRILY
AT THE FRONT THERE

AND WE ARE READY TO SHOOT.

TWO PEOPLE ARE
REQUIRED TO OPERATE THE PUMP.

ON ONE SIDE, AIR IS SUCKED IN.

ON THE OTHER, FIRE COMES OUT.

THE FIERY JET ONLY ENDS
WHEN THE TANK IS EMPTY.

THE GREEK FIRE EXPERIMENT WORKS.

THE FIRE DOESN'T GO
OUT, EVEN ON THE WATER.

THAT WAS
PRETTY SPECTACULAR.

WE WERE GETTING A RANGE
OF ABOUT 10 METERS

AND IT TAKES AN AWFUL LOT
OF EFFORT TO PUMP THAT FIRE.

YOU WILL ALSO NOTICE
THAT MY COLLEAGUE

WAS READJUSTING THE
NOZZLE AS WE WERE GOING,

IMPROVING THE AIM.

THERE IS STILL A LITTLE
BIT OF INTERFERENCE

FROM WIND THOUGH, I WOULD THINK.

QUITE AN EXPERIMENT AND AT
LEAST PARTIALLY SUCCESSFUL

BUT THE GALLEONS HAVE
GOT TO BE PRETTY CLOSE.

COULD
THIS INVENTION

REALLY HAVE FORCED THE
ARAB FLEET TO GIVE UP?

ACCORDING TO ANCIENT REPORTS,

UP TO THREE GREEK FIRE HOSES

WERE INSTALLED ON THE
BYZANTINE WARSHIPS.

WITH ITS ABILITY TO
PROJECT STICKY FLAMES,

THE GREEK FIRE SIPHON BROUGHT
A NEW DIMENSION TO WARFARE.

FLAME COULD NOW BE USED AT SEA.

IT WAS A TERRIBLE
SHOCK FOR THE ENEMY

AND THE SIPHON ALSO
BECAME A MORAL WEAPON.

A WEAPON WHICH WILL BE
KEPT A DEADLY SECRET.

BUT HOW
LONG DOES IT TAKE

UNTIL A SHIP GOES UP IN FLAMES?

OUR NEXT EXPERIMENT
SIMULATING AN ATTACK

ON A WOODEN WARSHIP.

THE PRESSURE
SEEMS TO BE GOOD.

THE WIND SEEMS TO HAVE DROPPED.

WE ARE IN WITH A
FIGHTING CHANCE.

WILL
STEPHEN'S MIXTURE

BURN LONG ENOUGH TO
IGNITE THE SHIP'S WALL

FROM ROUGHLY 32 FEET AWAY?

IN NO TIME, THE
WOODEN WALL IS ABLAZE.

THE BURNING LIQUID
STICKS TO THE WOOD.

ALL THE CREW COULD DO
WAS WATCH HELPLESSLY.

SO, WE CAN DEFINITELY SAY

THAT THAT ONE WAS
A COMPLETE SUCCESS.

THE SIDE OF THE ENEMY
SHIP WAS BLAZING.

THE WATER WAS BLAZING.

THERE IS LITTLE
DOUBT THAT THE GREEKS

WOULD HAVE WON THIS
NAVAL ENGAGEMENT.

AT THAT TIME FOR
WATER TO BE BURNING

WOULD HAVE BEEN
QUITE EXTRAORDINARY.

IT'S LIKE A NUCLEAR
WEAPON OR SOMETHING

AND IT HAS A NEW EFFECT,

SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE
DON'T UNDERSTAND

AND IT'S GONNA BE
ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING.

IN 678 A.D.,
BYZANTINE SHIPS

EQUIPPED WITH GREEK FIRECOUNTER-ATTACK THE MUSLIM FLEET.

BEFORE THE ARAB COMMANDERS
REALIZE WHAT'S HAPPENING,

THEIR SHIPS HAVE CAUGHT FIRE.

PANIC ERUPTS ON BOARD.

THE ARAB INVADERS
ARE FORCED TO FLEE.

CONSTANTINOPLE KEEPS
ITS INDEPENDENCE

FOR THE NEXT 750 YEARS.

IT'S ALMOST AS
IF THE BYZANTINES

HAD BEEN FORCED TO THE
VERY LAST EXTREMITY

AND THEY'D DUG OUT
OF THEIR CATALOG

THE LAST, ULTIMATE WEAPON,

BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY
TO SAVE THE CITY,

AND THE WHOLE OF THEIR EMPIRE,

WAS TO DEPLOY THIS
WEAPON, AND IT WORKED.

GREEK FIRE BECAME

ONE OF THE MOST FEARED
WEAPONS OF THE MEDIEVAL WORLD.

ANYONE WOULD AVOID A SHIPCARRYING THIS WEAPON.

THE ONLY KNOWN AUTHENTIC
DEPICTION OF GREEK FIRE

DATES BACK TO THE 12TH CENTURY.

THIS PICTURE SHOWS THE
VICTORY OF THE BYZANTINE FLEET

LEAD BY EMPEROR MICHAEL
IN THE CIVIL WAR

AGAINST GENERAL THOMAS.

THE FORMULA OF
THIS WONDER WEAPON

FROM THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN
WAS STRICTLY GUARDED.

THE OTTOMANS CONQUERED
CONSTANTINOPLE IN 1453

AND EVENTUALLY THE GREEK
FIRE FORMULA WAS LOST.

BUT ANOTHER WEAPON EMERGES

AND DEFINES THE ERA OF
BRITISH RULE OVER THE OCEANS.

AUGUST 1588, SEVERAL
NAVAL BATTLES ARE UNDERWAY

IN THE ENGLISH CHANNEL.

ON ONE SIDE CATHOLIC SPAIN
RULED BY KING PHILLIP II

WITH HIS ARMADA OF 130 SHIPS
ARMED WITH HEAVY IRON CANNONS.

PHILIP AIMS TO FORCE ENGLAND

TO RETURN TO THE CATHOLIC FAITH.

THE SPANIARDS ARE FEARED FORTHEIR SKILL AT CAPTURING SHIPS.

THE SPANISH
BUILT BIG SHIPS.

THEY WERE RELATIVELY
HIGHER OUT OF THE WATER,

AND THE MEN WHO COMMANDED
THE SHIPS IN BATTLE

WERE NOT SAILORS BUT SOLDIERS.

SO, THE SHIPS WERE
FOUGHT ESSENTIALLY

AS MOBILE FIGHTING
PLATFORMS FOR SOLDIERS.

THE OBJECT WAS TO
CLOSE WITH THE ENEMY,

BOARD, AND TAKE HIS SHIP.

PROTESTANT ENGLAND

IS RULED BY QUEEN ELIZABETH I.

THE MORE AGILE ENGLISH
SHIPS ARE EQUIPPED

WITH SUPERIOR CANNONS
AND THEIR COMMANDERS KNOW

THEY MUST WEAKEN THE
SPANIARDS FROM A DISTANCE.

IN CLOSE COMBAT, THEY
WOULDN'T STAND A CHANCE.

TODAY, THESE KINDS OF BATTLES

CAN BE SIMULATED ON A COMPUTER

WITH AUTHENTIC SHIP MODELS.

BUT WHAT EFFECT DID
THE CANNONBALL

OF THE TIME REALLY HAVE?

STEPHEN BULL WANTS TO FIND OUT.

HOW EFFECTIVE WERE THE CANNONS
OF THE EARLY MODERN ERA?

A MODEL HAS BEEN RECREATED
BASED ON HISTORICAL EXAMPLES.

THE GREAT POWERS OF THE TIME

HAD AN ARSENAL THAT RANGED
FROM FAIRLY LIGHT CANNONS

WEIGHING OVER 400 POUNDS
TO HEAVIER EXAMPLES

WEIGHING OVER FIVE TONS.

DEVELOPING OVER A
PERIOD OF 500 YEARS,

THE CANNON WAS A
DEFINING TECHNOLOGY

OF THE EARLY MODERN ERA.

CANNON CHANGED BOTH
FORTIFICATIONS AND SHIPS.

AND IN SO DOING, HELPED
PROJECT EUROPEAN SEA POWER

ALL OVER THE WORLD.

IN LUTSK, UKRAINE,

SPECIALISTS HAVE RESEARCHED
THE CONSTRUCTION PLAN

OF A SHIP CANNON FROM THE LATE
16TH, EARLY 17TH CENTURIES.

BARREL LENGTH FOUR
FEET 11 INCHES,

WITH AN INNER DIAMETER
OF FOUR INCHES.

WHAT WE'RE GONNA
RECONSTRUCT HERE

IS A FULL BLOWN NINE-POUNDER
OF THE 17TH CENTURY.

SOME OF THE FEATURES
OF OUR CANNON

WILL INCLUDE A TOUCH HOLE HERE

AND A TAPER BAR SO
THE POUNDER CHARGE

WILL BE AT THIS
END OF THE BARREL.

WHAT IS GONNA BE SPECIAL
ABOUT THIS CANNON

IS THAT WE WILL BE FIRING A BALL

WITH FULL CHARGE
AND IF THIS WORKS,

ITS EFFECT ON A SHIP TARGET
COULD BE SPECTACULAR.

UNLIKE FOUR
HUNDRED YEARS AGO,

OUR CANNON IS NOT
CAST BUT MILLED.

THIS IS DONE FOR SAFETY REASONS.

A FAULTY CASTING COULD
CAUSE THE CANNON TO SHATTER.

ONLY OUR CANNONBALLS ARE CAST,
WEIGHING NEARLY 10 POUNDS.

THEY DON'T EXPLODE,
JUST AS THEY COULDN'T

DURING THE TIME OF
THE SPANISH ARMADA.

EXPLOSIVE GRENADES
WERE DEVELOPED LATER.

AT A TEST SITE, STEPHEN BULL

WANTS TO FIND OUT HOW
ACCURATELY THE CANON

CAN HIT A DUMMY SHIP AND
HOW MUCH DAMAGE IT CAN DO.

SO, THIS IS OUR
MAGNIFICENT REPRODUCTION

OF A NAVAL GUN FROM THE
MIDDLE OF THE 17TH CENTURY.

AND UNLIKE MOST
REPRODUCTIONS OF CANONS

THIS THING CAN REALLY
FIRE THE SOLID ROUND SHOT

OF ABOUT NINE POUNDS.

AND WE'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT

WHAT THIS COULD DO TO
A SHIP OF THE PERIOD.

AFTER FOUR
WEEKS, OUR CANON IS READY.

THE TARGET IS THE
SHIP'S STRUCTURE,

JUST OVER A 100 YARDS AWAY.

FROM THIS DISTANCE, CAN THECANNON HIT THE SIDE OF THE SHIP

WITH ITS FIRST SHOT OR AT LEAST

STRIKE THE RIGGING AND THE MAST?

WILL THE HISTORICAL
REPLICA EVEN WORK AT ALL?

THE PRINCIPLE
BEHIND CANONS

AND MUCH SMALLER,
SIMPLE FIREARMS

IS ACTUALLY VERY SIMILAR.

YOU HAVE BASICALLY A TUBE
THAT'S CLOSED ONE END

AND YOU PUT IN BLACK
POWDER FOR EXAMPLE,

A SUBSTANCE THAT CAN
EXPLODE, AND A PROJECTILE.

AND THEN YOU IGNITE
THE WHOLE THING

WHICH RESULTS IN AN EXPLOSION.

DUE TO THE SUDDEN
EXPANSION IN VOLUME,

THE PROJECTILE IS SHOT THROUGH
THE TUBE VERY, VERY QUICKLY

AND THEN KEEPS ON FLYING
IN THIS SAME DIRECTION.

SO NOW WE ARE PREPARING
THE POWDER CHARGES

AND THESE ARE KEPT IN THIS
CANISTER IN ONE SEALED BAG.

IN GOES THE CHARGE.

THREE POUNDS OF
GUN POWDER IS NEEDED PER SHOT.

SO HERE IS THE
SOLID ROUND SHOT

GOING DOWN INTO THE BARREL.

IT'S A REAL MOMENT OF TENSION,

BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T KNOW
WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN NEXT.

IT'S PROBABLY TIME
THAT WE FALL BACK.

WELL, I'VE NEVER
DONE THIS BEFORE.

AND NOW THEY'RE TAKING
AIM OVER THE BARREL,

AIM ON THE TARGET,
SO IT'S IMMINENT.

WE'RE
ABOUT TO FIND OUT

IF OUR CANNON CAN ACTUALLY FIRE.

WILL THE AMOUNT OF
GUN POWDER BE ENOUGH

TO SHOOT THE NINE-POUND
BALL OVER ONE-HUNDRED YARDS?

FOR CENTURIES,
GUN POWDER

WAS THE ONLY PROPELLANT
FOR FIREARMS.

IT WAS MOST LIKELY INVENTED
IN CHINA IN THE 11TH CENTURY.

THERE IT WAS MOST COMMONLY
USED FOR FIREWORKS

AS WELL AS CANNONS.

IN THE 13TH CENTURY, THE
FIRST GUN POWDER FORMULAS

WERE RECORDED IN EUROPE.

AND AFTER THAT, THIS
EXPLOSIVE RECIPE

QUICKLY SPREAD ACROSS
THE ENTIRE CONTINENT.

GUNPOWDER IS ONE OF
THOSE FAIRLY BASIC THINGS

THAT GETS INVENTED IN
TWO SEPARATE PLACES.

THE CHINESE INVENT
GUNPOWDER AND USE IT

TO MAKE ROCKETS AND FIREWORKS.

THE EUROPEANS
INVENT IT AND USE IT

TO MAKE CANNON TO
KNOCK DOWN CASTLES.

GUN
POWDER IDEALLY CONSISTS

OF 75% POTASSIUM NITRATE,
COMMONLY KNOWN AS SALTPETER,

15% CHARCOAL AND 10% SULFUR.

IN THE 16TH CENTURY,
DEMAND INCREASES RAPIDLY

DUE TO MASS USE OF FIREARMS.

THE MAIN INGREDIENT, SALTPETER,

IS SO SCARCE THAT THE
PROFESSION OF SALTPETER-BOILER

BECOMES INCREASINGLY IN DEMAND.

UNWELCOME BY LOCALS,
BOILERS SEARCH

ON BEHALF OF THEIR
RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES.

SALTPETER IS FORMED WHEN
ANIMAL AND HUMAN EXCREMENT

MIX WITH LIME PRESENT IN SOIL,

OCCURRING FREQUENTLY
UNDER STABLES

OR RESIDENTIAL
BUILDINGS.

AT THE END OF THE 19TH CENTURY,

GUN POWDER FOR
FIREARMS WAS REPLACED

BY THE LOW-SMOKE OPTION

OF CELLULOSE NITRATE.

TODAY, GUN POWDER IS USEDPRIMARILY AS FUEL FOR FIREWORKS.

OUR NINE-POUND CANNON
BALL IS READY TO FIRE

USING THREE POUNDS
OF GUN POWDER.

BUT WILL THAT AMOUNT
BE ENOUGH TO HIT

THE TARGET OVER 100 YARDS AWAY?

SO THE GUN IS RECOILED ALLTHE WAY BACK FROM THE GUN PORT,

AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE GUN PORT,

IT'S ACTUALLY
DAMAGED THE GUN PORT.

AND EVEN FROM THIS
DISTANCE I CAN SEE A HOLE

IN THE LOWER RIGHT HAND
PORTION OF THE TARGET.

I THINK WE GOT TO GO AND
GIVE THAT A CLOSER LOOK.

16TH
CENTURY SHIP WALLS

ARE ROUGHLY A FOOT THICK.

EVERY SHOT WOULD NOT HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO PENETRATE THEM.

SO, THE FIRST SHOT
IS CLEARLY A HIT.

CLEAN THROUGH THE TARGET.

SO, ONE SHOT MIGHT
NOT SINK A SHIP.

BUT YOU CAN SEE IT'S GONE
CLEAN THROUGH THE WOOD.

BUT EVEN IF THE BALL
DOESN'T DAMAGE THE CREW,

THEN THERE IS GONNA
BE PLENTY OF THESE.

WOOD SPLINTERS FLYING
AROUND INSIDE THE VESSEL

AND THESE CAN CAUSE
HORRIBLE INJURIES.

IN NAVAL
CONFLICTS, CANNON-FIRE

HAD A POWERFUL PSYCHOLOGICAL
EFFECT ON SHIPS' CREWS.

YOU CAN IMAGINE
THE HORROR OF BEING

ON THE RECEIVING END
OF 50 THOSE BALLS

AND THE SORT OF DAMAGE
THAT IT CAN DO TO A CREW

WHEN YOU'RE AT SEA.

AND THE PRIMITIVE
SORT OF MEDICINE

THAT YOU MIGHT BE LUCKY
ENOUGH TO RECEIVE.

THIS SORT OF WAR IS NO PICNIC.

FOR
OUR NEXT EXPERIMENT,

STEPHEN BULL WANTS TO TRY
A DIFFERENT CANNONBALL.

WHAT KIND OF DAMAGE
WILL IT INFLICT?

SO NOW WE'RE GONNA
TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT,

SOMETHING POTENTIALLY
MORE VICIOUS.

THIS IS ACTUALLY WHAT
YOU CALL A CHAIN SHOT.

IT'S EFFECTIVELY TWO HALFSOLID SHOTS, LINKED BY A CHAIN.

AND THE IDEA IS THAT THE
SHOT WILL WHIRL IN THE AIR

AND POTENTIALLY YOU
CAN CUT THINGS IN HALF.

WHETHER THIS IS RIGGING OR A
MAST OR EVEN THE HUMAN BODY.

THIS IS A REALLY VICIOUS WEAPON

AND AS FAR AS I'M AWARE,
IT'S NEVER BEEN TEST-FIRED.

THIS
TIME, THE CHAIN-SHOT

IS AIMED A LITTLE HIGHER,
RIGHT AT THE RIGGING.

ACTUALLY, I'M
QUITE CONCERNED

ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN NOW.

A LOT WILL DEPEND
ON WHETHER THE CHAIN

STAYS IN ONE PIECE AS
IT LEAVES THE BARREL

OR WILL WE LAND UP
WITH MERELY FRAGMENTS

COMING FROM THE GUN, AND
WILL THE AIM BE DISTURBED

BY THE FACT THAT IT
IS A WHIRLING CHAIN?

OKAY, WE'RE GONNA FALL BACK NOW!

LET'S MAKE IT ABOUT A 100 YARDSBEHIND THE BANK, LET'S MOVE!

THE
CANNON IS CHARGED,

THE CREW IS READY, TIME
TO FIRE THE CHAIN-SHOT.

IT'S A HIT,

THE CHAIN-SHOT TORE

A NASTY HOLE IN THE SHIP'S WALL.

THIS IS INTERESTING

BECAUSE THE SHOT
WAS AIMED HIGHER,

BUT HAS ACTUALLY GONE INLOWER, CLOSER TO THE WATERLINE.

AND I AM NOT SURE
WHETHER THE CHAIN

HAS WHIRLED OR WHETHER
WE'VE GOT THE CHAIN

AND THE SHOT ALL GOING THROUGH
TOGETHER IN THE SAME SPOT.

BUT IN ANY CASE THE
HOLE IS FAR, FAR BIGGER

THAN THE HOLE FROM
THE SOLID ROUND.

SO, ANYTHING BEHIND
THIS CHAIN SHOT,

AS IT GOES THROUGH IS GOING
TO BE PRETTY BADLY DAMAGED.

BOTH
EXPERIMENTS HAVE DEMONSTRATED

THAT JUST ONE CANNONBALL
CAN SERIOUSLY DAMAGE A SHIP.

IN EARLY NAVAL BATTLES,
HUNDREDS OF THESE WEAPONS

FACED OFF AGAINST EACH OTHER.

WHEN THE SPANISH ARMADA
ENCOUNTERS THE ENGLISH FLEET,

THEY HAVE OVER A 100,000
CANNONBALLS ON BOARD.

BUT THE SPANISH NAVAL
TACTIC IS TO FIRE

A SINGLE BROADSIDE AT CLOSE
RANGE BEFORE BOARDING.

THE ENGLISH HAVE FASTER SHIPS,

A RAPID RELOADING SYSTEM
AND GUNS WITH GREATER RANGE

SO THEY CAN AVOID CLOSE
CONTACT WITH THE ARMADA.

AND THIS IS A KEY
TECHNICAL DIFFERENCE

BETWEEN THE ENGLISH
AND THE SPANISH FLEETS

IN THE CAMPAIGN OF THE
SPANISH ARMADA OF 1588.

THE ENGLISH CAN RELOAD
THEIR HEAVY GUNS

AND FIRE THEM MANY TIMES,
THE SPANISH LOAD THEIR GUNS,

FIRE THEM, AND THAT'S IT.

THEY'RE THEN LEFT WITH
ONLY INFANTRY WEAPONS,

SMALL GUNS, MUSKETS,
AND THE ENGLISH REFUSE

TO ENGAGE THE SPANISH
AT CLOSE QUARTERS.

THEY JUST HANG OFF AT A DISTANCE

AND USE RANGE TO
BOMBARD THE SPANISH

UNTIL THEY'RE DISABLED
AND HAVE TO RETREAT.

FOR SEVERAL HOURS,

THE SPANIARDS ARE
CONSTANTLY UNDER FIRE.

THEIR STURDY SHIPS
RECEIVE COUNTLESS HITS,

BUT LOSE ONLY FIVE VESSELS
DURING THE FIERCE SEA BATTLES

OFF THE SOUTH COAST OF ENGLAND.

UPON RETREAT, THE ARMADA IS
BATTERED BY A SEVERE STORM.

MORE THAN 10,000
SPANIARDS PERISH

AND ONLY HALF THE
FLEET RETURNS HOME.

IN THE DECADES THAT FOLLOW,

ENGLAND SECURES ITS
DOMINANT POSITION

THROUGH SEVERAL WARS
AND REPLACES SPAIN

AS THE WORLD'S
LEADING NAVAL POWER.

WITH CONTROL OF SEA TRADE
AND AN EVER INCREASING

AMOUNT OF INCOME
FROM THEIR COLONIES,

THE EMPIRE BECOMES
THE RICHEST IN EUROPE.

IN 1805, AFTER THEIR VICTORY

AGAINST NAPOLEON'S
FLEET AT TRAFALGAR,

ENGLAND BECOMES THE UNDISPUTED
SUPERPOWER OF THE SEAS

FOR AN ENTIRE CENTURY.

THE CANNON CONTINUES
TO BE A DECISIVE WEAPON

FOR THE ROYAL NAVY.

CANONS REMAINED RELEVANT
UNTIL HEAVILY ARMORED SHIPS

EMERGED IN THE 20TH CENTURY.

AFTER THAT, THEY WEREDECOMMISSIONED AND MELTED DOWN.

AS THE DAYS OF TRADITIONAL
SEA BATTLES CAME TO A CLOSE,

A NEW INVENTION BEGAN TO
REVOLUTIONIZE WARFARE AT SEA.

IT WAS QUIET, CONCEALED
AND DEADLY, THE TORPEDO.

FEBRUARY 7TH, 1945,
NEAR BERGEN, NORWAY.

OPERATION CAESAR IS THE MOST
SECRET SUBMARINE MISSION

OF WORLD WAR II.

TO THIS DAY, IT IS THE
ONLY KNOWN INSTANCE

OF A SUBMARINE THAT WAS
SUCCESSFULLY TORPEDOED

BY ANOTHER SUBMARINE.

THE U864, A LONG RANGE SUBMARINE

OF THE GERMAN NAVY, IS
HEADED TOWARD JAPAN.

BUT IT'S DETECTED ALONG THE WAY.

VENTURER, A BRITISH SUBMARINE,

TRACKS THE PROPELLER
NOISE OF THE GERMANS

TO CALCULATE THE COURSE
OF THE SUBMERGED ENEMY.

THEY FIRE FOUR TORPEDOES,
ONE OF THEM IS A HIT.

ALL 73 CREW MEMBERS
ABOARD U864 DIE.

THIS IS THE FIRST EFFECTIVE

UNDERWATER DUEL IN
MILITARY HISTORY.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
TORPEDO WAS A LENGTHY

AND TECHNOLOGICALLY
COMPLICATED PROCESS.

IN ITS FIRST DECADES,

THE TORPEDO IS
EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE

AND BARELY PROVIDES
ANY MILITARY ADVANTAGE.

THE TORPEDO IS ONE
OF THE MOST INTERESTING

WEAPONS OF NAVAL WARFARE.

IN THE 19TH CENTURY IT
TRANSFORMED STRATEGY

BECAUSE IT GAVE SMALL
NATIONS AND SMALL SHIPS

THE ABILITY TO TAKE ON THE
MAJOR FLEETS OF THE WORLD.

THE TECHNOLOGY
BEHIND THIS WEAPON

IS CURIOUS AND FASCINATING.

FROM THE BEGINNING,

THERE WERE MANY DIFFERENT
VERSIONS OF THE TORPEDO.

THE GERMAN G7A OF WORLD
WAR II IS OVER 22 FEET LONG

AND WEIGHS 1 1/2 TONS.

THE ONLY THING IT HAS IN
COMMON WITH OTHER TORPEDOES

IS SELF-PROPULSION AND
AN EXPLOSIVE CHARGE.

ONE PRECURSOR OF THE
TORPEDO IS THE SEA MINE.

IN THE 18TH CENTURY, ITS ROLE
IS TO DESTROY ENEMY SHIPS

USING A BLAST FROM BELOW.

IT'S A PRACTICAL OPTION FOR
COUNTRIES WITH LESSER NAVIES.

BUT THE MINES ARE
NOT VERY EFFECTIVE.

THEY ARE STATIONARY
AND WILL ONLY EXPLODE

IF A SHIP BUMPS INTO THEM.

CONTEMPORARY EXPERTS
REFER TO NAVAL MINES

AS A SORT OF DEFENSIVE TORPEDO.

BUT FLEETS ALL OVER THE WORLD

DEMAND A FUNCTIONAL
OFFENSIVE TORPEDO,

AN EXPLOSIVE CHARGE THAT
CAN STRIKE THE ENEMY.

ON FEBRUARY 17TH, 1864,
DURING THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR,

A SO-CALLED SPAR
TORPEDO IS PUT INTO USE.

IT'S A ROD WITH AN
ATTACHED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE

THAT CAN BE RAMMED
INTO AN ENEMY SHIP.

DURING THE
AMERICAN CIVIL WAR,

THE MINE WAS ALSO USED
AS AN OFFENSIVE WEAPON

BY MOUNTING IT ON THE
END OF A LONG POLE.

THE CONFEDERATE
SUBMERSIBLE CSS HUNLEY,

WHICH WAS ESSENTIALLY
A MAN-CRANKED,

PRIMITIVE SUBMARINE.

SEVEN MEN SITTING AT A
CRANKSHAFT TURNING IT RAPIDLY

TO PROPEL THIS THING, WITH
A LONG POLE ON THE FRONT

AND A MINE ON THE
END OF THE POLE,

WHICH WAS DETONATED BY CONTACT.

THIS MAKES
THE CONFEDERATE VESSEL

THE FIRST SUBMARINE EVER
TO SINK AN ENEMY SHIP

WITH A TORPEDO DURING BATTLE.

AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL HIT,
THE HUNLEY DISAPPEARS

WITHOUT A TRACE.

THE WRECKAGE IS NOT
FOUND UNTIL 1995

WHEN THE MYSTERY
IS FINALLY SOLVED.

THE HUNLEY WAS TOO CLOSE
TO ITS OWN TORPEDO.

THE SHOCKWAVE OF THE EXPLOSION
DESTROYED THE SAILORS' LUNGS.

THE SPAR TORPEDO WAS
A TECHNICAL BACKFIRE

THAT KILLED MORE
THAN JUST THE ENEMY.

TWO EUROPEANS CONTRIBUTE TO
THE NEXT PHASE OF DEVELOPMENT

BRITISH ENGINEER ROBERT
WHITEHEAD AND GIOVANNI LUPPIS,

AN OFFICER OF THE
AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN NAVY.

TOGETHER, THEY EQUIP THE TORPEDO

WITH SELF-PROPULSION
USING A TANK

OF HIGHLY COMPRESSED
AIR AS AN ENERGY SOURCE.

NOW, THE TORPEDO
SHOULD BE ABLE TO HEAD

FOR ITS TARGET ON ITS OWN.

IT HAS A RANGE OF
900 TO 1300 FEET,

AND TRAVELS AT A SPEED
OF SIX MILES PER HOUR.

THIS EARLY FORM OF THE TORPEDO
IS KNOWN AS THE WHITEHEAD.

INDEED THE TORPEDO
AS WE NOW KNOW IT

WAS KNOWN AS A WHITEHEAD
FOR THE FIRST 25, 30 YEARS

AND EVERYBODY BOUGHT THE PATENT

TO USE THE TORPEDO
FROM ROBERT WHITEHEAD.

IT CHANGED WARFARE, IT
MEANT THAT SMALL VESSELS

COULD SINK THE
BIGGEST BATTLESHIPS.

IT LEVELED THE PLAYING
FIELD IN THE WAY

THAT THE LONGBOW DID
IN MEDIEVAL WARFARE.

IT ALLOWED THE LITTLE
GUY TO SINK THE BIG GUY.

STEPHEN
BULL WANTS TO FIND OUT

HOW A WHITEHEAD TORPEDO
WORKS IN PRACTICE.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO
PRECISELY HIT A TARGET

WITH THIS WEAPON THAT IS
MORE THAN A 100 YEARS OLD?

IN OUR TEST, WE WANT TO HIT
A DUMMY SHIP 82 FEET AWAY.

TO MATCH THE EARLY TORPEDO,

BULL OPERATES IT AT LOW SPEED.

THE RUDDERS OF THE
WHITEHEAD REPLICA

MUST BE ADJUSTED IN ADVANCE.

THEY CAN'T BE CORRECTED
AFTER THE LAUNCH.

I THINK WE LOOK READY!
Man: YEAH WE LOOK READY.

OKAY WE ARE READY
TO GO, TORPEDO RUN.

WILL THE WHITEHEAD
TORPEDO HIT THE DUMMY SHIP?

IT'S DRIFTING OFF
TO THE LEFT SOMEWHERE.

THE TORPEDO
CAN'T HOLD COURSE,

EVEN ON A CALM SEA, A DIVER
HEADS OUT TO RECOVER IT.

THE NEXT PHASE OF DEVELOPMENT

THAT WILL REVOLUTIONIZE
THE TORPEDO

COMES FROM THE CIVILIAN SECTOR.

THE GYROSCOPE, INVENTED IN 1810

BY JOHANN GOTTLIEB
VON BOHRENBERGER,

A PROFESSOR OF PHYSICS,
MATHEMATICS AND ASTRONOMY

AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TUBINGEN.

IN 1870, A GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTIS ADDED TO A TORPEDO.

THE HOWELL TORPEDO, NAMED
AFTER JOHN A. HOWELL,

AN AMERICAN REAR ADMIRAL,

USES THE GYROSCOPE
FOR STABILIZATION.

THE PRINCIPLE
OF THE GYROSCOPE

DEPENDS ON CENTRIFUGAL FORCE.

SO, PROVIDING SOME FORCE,
THE GYROSCOPE SPINS.

AND NOW IT MAINTAINS ITS
STABILITY AND DIRECTION.

DUE
TO THE ROTATION,

AN EQUAL FORCE PUSHES OUTWARD
AT EVERY POINT ON ITS AXIS.

THIS KEEPS THE GYROSCOPE STABLE.

IN A TORPEDO, THE GYROSCOPE
IS ATTACHED TO THE RUDDER.

WHEN THE CURRENT PUSHES
THE TORPEDO TO THE SIDE,

THE GYROSCOPE AUTOMATICALLY
CORRECTS ITS COURSE.

MODERN TORPEDOES
HAVE A COMPUTER CHIP

WITH A BUILT-IN
GYROSCOPE FUNCTION.

SIMILAR
TECHNOLOGY WAS USED

IN ALL SORTS OF
NAVIGATIONAL EQUIPMENT.

AND EVEN TODAY AN
ELECTRONIC VERSION

IS STILL IN THE SMARTPHONE

WHICH KNOWS WHICH WAY IT'S
FACING HOWEVER YOU HOLD IT.

OUR NEXT TEST

IS WITH A GYROSCOPE
-CONTROLLED TORPEDO.

THE SILVER TORPEDO HERE INFRONT OF ME HAS A GYROSCOPE.

SO, IN THEORY, THIS TORPEDO
WILL BE MUCH MORE ACCURATE

THAN THE OLD EXAMPLE.

THE QUESTION IS

WILL THIS EXPERIMENT
DEMONSTRATE THE POINT?

SO THE TORPEDO IS
POINTED AT THE TARGET

AND WE'RE GONNA START IT
OFF, WE ARE READY TO GO, GO!

IT'S MOVING A LITTLE
FASTER THIS TIME.

THANKS
TO THE GYROSCOPE,

THE TORPEDO CANNOT
DRIFT OFF-COURSE.

ACTUALLY, THIS IS LOOKINGGOOD, IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHT.

THREE, TWO, ONE, ACTUALLY
AN EXCELLENT SHOT.

EVEN THOUGH I SAY IT MYSELF.

WITH THE
ADDITION OF THE GYROSCOPE,

THE TORPEDO BECOMES A
STRATEGICALLY VITAL WEAPON.

DURING WORLD WAR I, SUBMARINES
EQUIPPED WITH TORPEDOES

ARE USED IN LARGE NUMBERS
FOR THE FIRST TIME,

PARTICULARLY BY GERMANY.

FROM 1914 TO 1918,
GERMAN SUBMARINES

SINK A TOTAL OF MORE
THAN 6,000 SHIPS.

AMONG THE MOST INFAMOUS
IS THE BRITISH LUSITANIA.

ON MAY 17TH, 1915,
THE GERMAN U20

STRIKES THE PASSENGER
SHIP WITH A TORPEDO.

IN ONLY 18 MINUTES, THE
780 FOOT LONG SHIP SINKS.

CLOSE TO 1,200 PEOPLE PERISH.

ONLY ABOUT A THIRD OF THE
PASSENGERS MANAGE TO SURVIVE.

AMONG THE VICTIMS
ARE MANY AMERICANS,

COMPELLING THE UNITED STATES

TO ENTER THE WAR
AGAINST GERMANY.

THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO
HUNT THE GERMAN SUBMARINES

INTERCEPTING RADIO TRAFFIC, A
TASK OF MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

INTELLIGENCE HAS
BEEN A CRITICAL PART

OF WAR SINCE THE DAWN OF TIME.

KNOWING WHAT YOUR ENEMY KNOWS,

AND MAKING SURE HE DOESN'T
KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW,

GIVES YOU AN ADVANTAGE.

BUT IN 1939,
THE START OF WORLD WAR II,

INTERCEPTING GERMAN RADIO
TRAFFIC IS NO LONGER POSSIBLE.

THE NAZIS POSSESS
A CIPHER MACHINE

DEVELOPED BY ARTHUR SCHERBIUS
IN 1918,

ITS NAME ENIGMA.

IN THE SECOND
WORLD WAR WE COME TO

THE GERMAN ENIGMA MACHINE,

WHICH WAS INVENTED TO
DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM

THAT THE BRITISH HAD BROKEN
GERMAN RADIO SIGNAL CODES

IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR,

AND THEY'D USED THEM
VERY EFFECTIVELY.

SO THIS MECHANICAL,
ELECTRICAL ENCRYPTION SYSTEM

WAS DESIGNED TO BE UNBREAKABLE.

ENCRYPTIONTECHNIQUES HAD BEEN USED BEFORE,

BUT THE ENIGMA COMBINES
DIFFERENT MECHANISMS

INTO A SINGLE COMPLEX CODE.

A VERY SIMPLE
ENCRYPTION TECHNIQUE

IS TO JUST MOVE ALONG
IN THE ALPHABET.

SO, A BECOMES B AND B BECOMES C.

BUT THIS IS VERY EASY TO CRACK.

ENIGMA HAD A DIFFERENT METHOD.

EVERY LETTER WAS REPLACED
BY ANOTHER LETTER,

BUT YOU DIDN'T ALWAYS MOVE

THE SAME NUMBER OF
LETTERS FORWARD.

ENIGMA ITSELF WAS A MACHINE
SIMILAR TO A TYPEWRITER

AND IT HAD THREE
ROLLERS THAT ROTATED

A LITTLE BIT FURTHER
WITH EACH INPUT.

SO, IF YOU KNEW THE EXACT
POSITION OF THE ROLLERS,

YOU COULD CALCULATE HOW
MUCH FORWARD OR BACKWARDS

YOU NEEDED TO MOVE AND YOU
COULD DECODE A TEXT PERFECTLY.

FOR MONTHS,
ALLIED SPECIALISTS

TRY IN VAIN TO CRACK
THE ENIGMA CODE.

BY CAPTURING THE CREW
OF A GERMAN SUBMARINE

AND WITH THE HELP OF
POLISH SPECIALISTS,

THEY'RE FINALLY ON TRACK.

A FEW RADIO TRANSMISSIONS
ARE DECRYPTED,

BUT IT STILL TAKES TOO MUCH
EFFORT AND TOO MUCH TIME.

AT THIS RATE, THE
GERMAN SUBMARINES'

REIGN OF TERROR SEEMS ENDLESS.

BUT AN INVENTION FROM A
RECLUSIVE MATHEMATICIAN

ULTIMATELY TURNS THE TIDE IN
THE BATTLE FOR THE ATLANTIC.

ALAN TURING DEVELOPS
A HIGHLY COMPLEX

DECIPHERING MACHINE,
THE TURING MACHINE.

IT CAN CRACK THE DAILY
ENIGMA DECRIPTIONS

MUCH FASTER THAN
ANY OTHER DEVICE,

MAKING IT A PREDECESSOR
OF THE MODERN COMPUTER.

IN THE BATTLE
OF THE ATLANTIC,

THE CRITICAL BATTLE OF
THE SECOND WORLD WAR,

WHICH KEPT BRITAIN IN THE WAR,

WHAT THE BRITISH DID INITIALLY

WAS TO USE THAT INFORMATION
NOT TO FIGHT THE ENEMY,

BUT TO MAKE SURE THE ENEMY
COULDN'T FIND THE CONVOYS.

THEY WOULD MOVE THE CONVOYS
AWAY FROM THE SUBMARINES.

ONCE THEY KNEW WHERE
THE SUBMARINE WAS,

THEY MOVED THE CONVOY.

IF THE
SHIP CHANGES POSITION,

THE TORPEDO CAN'T HIT IT.

ITS COURSE CAN'T BE CHANGED.

THE NEXT LEAP IN TECHNOLOGY

IS A TORPEDO THAT CAN
SELF-CORRECT ITS COURSE.

DURING WORLD WAR II, THE
SO CALLED PASSIVE PROCESS

WAS DEVELOPED.

THE TORPEDO WAS ABLE
TO DETECT THE SOUND

OF A SHIP'S PROPELLER
AND STEER TOWARD IT.

ACTIVE TRACKING IS PERFECTED
DURING THE COLD WAR ARMS RACE.

THE TORPEDO ITSELF
GENERATES SOUND WAVES

AND HEADS TOWARD AN ECHO THAT
BOUNCES BACK FROM THE TARGET.

BUT THE TORPEDO IS
ALSO A SAFETY RISK

FOR THE CARRIER SHIP AND
MANY ACCIDENTS OCCUR.

ON AUGUST 12TH, 2000, THE LOSS

OF THE RUSSIAN NUCLEAR
SUBMARINE KURSK

IS MOST LIKELY THE RESULT
OF A DEFECTIVE TORPEDO.

118 PEOPLE DIE.

IN ADDITION TO SUBMARINES,

TORPEDOES CAN BE LAUNCHED
FROM SURFACE SHIPS,

AIRPLANES AND HELICOPTERS.

THE U.S. NAVY DEPLOYS
THEM IN FORMATIONS

KNOWN AS BATTLE GROUPS.

A COMPLETE SQUADRON
OF COMBAT SHIPS

AND SUBMARINES IN COORDINATION
WITH AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER

CAN CONTROL AN ENTIRE
STRATEGIC SEA ZONE.

THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER

IS THE ULTIMATE NAVAL
WEAPONS SYSTEM.

IT'S A MOBILE AIRFIELD
WITH 50 OR 60 OR EVEN 80

FRONTLINE COMBAT JETS ON-BOARD.

IT CAN MOVE HUNDREDS
OF MILES IN A DAY.

IT'S CAPABLE OF OPERATING
AT SEA FOR LONG PERIODS.

TODAY, FURTHER
TORPEDO DEVELOPMENTS

FOCUS PRIMARILY ON SPEED.

EFFECTIVE COUNTERMEASURES
LIKE DECOYS

OR ANTI-TORPEDO
WEAPONS ARE AVAILABLE.

BUT THE FASTER A TORPEDO
REACHES ITS TARGET,

THE HARDER IT IS TO FEND OFF.

IN THE FUTURE, THE NAVIES
OF THE WORLD'S SUPERPOWERS

ARE BETTING ON A COMPLETELY NEWTECHNOLOGY SUPER CAVITATION.

WITH THE HELP OF THIS
FUTURISTIC TECHNOLOGY,

TORPEDOES AND POTENTIALLY
EVEN ENTIRE SUBMARINES

WILL BE ABLE TO RACE THROUGHTHE SEAS AT THE SPEED OF SOUND.

IT UTILIZES A
PHYSICS PHENOMENON,

A BUBBLE OF GAS OR WATER VAPOR

ENVELOPS THE UNDERWATER VESSEL,

GREATLY REDUCING THE
FLOW OF RESISTANCE.

THE RUSSIAN NAVY
ALREADY HAS A TORPEDO

WITH THIS TECHNOLOGY IN USE.

IT CAN REACH A SPEED OF MORE
THAN A 180 MILES PER HOUR.

AND SO, THE RACE FOR
THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE

WEAPON AT SEA CONTINUES.