US Navy plans compact Silent Anvil torpedo as China’s submarine fleet surges

The US Navy is seeking prototypes for Silent Anvil, a compact air-launched anti-submarine torpedo intended for carriage by a wider range of crewed and uncrewed aircraft. The programme allows either a new gliding torpedo or a wing-and-guidance kit for an existing weapon, with limits of 268 pounds, 70 inches in length and 7.5 inches in diameter. The Navy wants an initial prototype within 18 months and could order as many as 180 systems over three years, with releases contemplated from 10 to 60,000 feet and between Mach 0.25 and 0.85.