# Anti-submarine warfare weapon **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 17, 2000, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-submarine-warfare-weapon/14455 "2000-02-17T19:52:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2000, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-submarine-warfare-weapon/14455/1 "2000-02-18T06:22:00Z")
The “subroc.” I guess the question is “Is this a real weapon, or just a literary invention?” Basically, it sounds sorta like a cruise missile: An attack sub fires it, and it starts rising, and eventually takes flight. Then, at a certain point, it starts descending back into the water, where it would “lock on” and hunt down the opposing sub. I haven’t been able to find a lot of info on it, and I was just wondering if that is a true weapon. BTW, the book was “The Phoenix Odyssey” by Richard Hendrick. ---
**Author:** ![StarvinMarvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7993a0/32.png) [@StarvinMarvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvinMarvin)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2000, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-submarine-warfare-weapon/14455/2 "2000-02-18T06:32:00Z")
ASROC Navy antisub missile, fired by SUBs and Destroyers. It reenters the water and then becomes a torpedo/missile again. Its a cruise missile fitted with a torp. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2000, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-submarine-warfare-weapon/14455/3 "2000-02-18T06:33:00Z")
I used to have a set of model rockets (plastic, displayed on a base) when I was a kid. I remember there as a SUBROC (as well as an ASROC) in it. Here’s what I found at [http://www.shima.demon.co.uk/modnuke.htm](http://www.shima.demon.co.uk/modnuke.htm) > [@](#): > > **Anti Ship Missiles (ASMs)** > > ASMs are normal sea-skimming missiles (such as the American Harpoon) encapsulated as per the cruise missiles (see above)so that it may be launched from a submarine torpedo tube. From this point on it will perform a normal attack, hugging the waves at the height of a few meters to avoid RADAR detection (though it will often be detected on launch as it boosts into the air) on a preprogrammed course until the target is within range of its own RADAR seeker. When it reaches its target where it may either pop-up and come down through the deck or simply fly straight into the side of the ship. Other variations on this theme modify the weapon’s warhead to either launch a lightweight torpedo during the final attack phase (avoiding the close in > weapon systems - CIWS, designed to deal with incoming ASMs) or dropping a nuclear depth charge as exemplified by the American **SUBROC** weapon. These weapons usually have a 60 - 100 nm (110 - 184 km ) range and fly at subsonic speeds (Mach 0.7 - 0.8). ---
**Author:** ![StarvinMarvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7993a0/32.png) [@StarvinMarvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvinMarvin)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2000, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-submarine-warfare-weapon/14455/4 "2000-02-18T06:33:00Z")
oh yeah and its real 🙂 very real. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2000, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-submarine-warfare-weapon/14455/5 "2000-02-18T06:33:00Z")
[UUM-44 SUBROC](http://sun00781.dn.net/man/dod-101/sys/missile/subroc.htm) And some other sites that mention SUBROCs: [http://sun00781.dn.net/man/dod-101/sys/missile/](http://sun00781.dn.net/man/dod-101/sys/missile/) [http://www.amintel.com/Weapons/Ships/sturgeon.htm](http://www.amintel.com/Weapons/Ships/sturgeon.htm) [http://www.subnet.com/FLEET/ssn594.htm](http://www.subnet.com/FLEET/ssn594.htm) [http://www.quiknet.com/~jeruff/specs.html](http://www.quiknet.com/~jeruff/specs.html) ---
**Author:** ![StarvinMarvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7993a0/32.png) [@StarvinMarvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvinMarvin)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2000, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-submarine-warfare-weapon/14455/6 "2000-02-17T19:52:00Z")
JOHNNY!!! I had those same Submarine models. Made by DML with a little dragon on the emblem?? Damn I had every one they ever made. ---
**Author:** ![GrammarNinja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@GrammarNinja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrammarNinja)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2000, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-submarine-warfare-weapon/14455/7 "2000-03-07T19:16:00Z")
Following Beatle’s link, I read the following: “Finally finding its target, a 39-inch long Mark 55 thermonuclear warhead, weighing approximately 460 pounds, was then detonated. A direct hit is not necessary.” LOVE that last sentence … * * * “Now you pissed me off. You and I? We’re NEVER gonna be friends.” ---
**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2000, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-submarine-warfare-weapon/14455/8 "2000-03-07T19:52:00Z")
Just another one of my favorite toys… Heh-heh-heh. Too bad it’s no longer in our inventory. The ASROC/SUBROC could also be fitted with a conventional warhead and made an excellent “stand off” weapon. Just being able to employ the ASROC/SUBROC gave “bad guy” skippers a really good reason to keep their distance. * * * “Though I hate 'em, I’ll defend to my death your right to use smilies.” Forward deployed until 18AUG00 ---
**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2000, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-submarine-warfare-weapon/14455/9 "2000-03-07T21:13:00Z")
I used to work on service and repairing submarine detection systems. Not exactly your topic. They weren’t weapons. Both were airborn. Old technology but I’ve heard of the same principal in use today. One was Anomally detection-magnetic field detection.The other “listened” for the noise subs produced. Neither would probably work today because of the advanced technology in mfg subs. The Anomally detection would work in earthquake detection and measurement. ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2000, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-submarine-warfare-weapon/14455/10 "2000-03-08T03:08:00Z")
[old salt]When I was sailin’ the seven seas twenny year ago, on a dee-stroyah we called the _Crap-and-Turd_\*, we shot off one a’ them ASROCs. I’s down in Main Cunt-roll\* at the time, watchin’ the electrical board. (We’s near Hawayah\* at the time.) Lord a’ Mighty, that thing made a noise! BUH-WOOOOOOOOSH!!! Wish I could’a seen it go…[/old salt] - Main Cunt-roll = Main Control, also known as Engine room #1 \*Hawayah = Hawaii. One of the islands is uninhabited by humans and is used mostly as target practice by the Navy. \*_Crap-and-Turd_ = _Carpenter_ DD-825. Built in 1945. Modified during Vietnam with an ASROC launcher. This was made possible by cutting the hull in half from top to bottom and installing a 45-foot extension. the steel superstructure was replaced with one of aluminum so the ship would be less top-heavy. Last I heard of the _Crap_, we sold it to Turkey. (What were we trying to do, make sure Turkey LOST their next naval conflict?) * * * When all else fails, ask Cecil.