Human Torpedo - Italy

Italy

World war I
  • Raffaele Rossetti in 1918 created a new weapon, based on his idea of a torpedo manned by a person, to be linked to enemy vessels underwater and explode under the ship hull. This weapon was called "mignatta" (leech) and was the precursor of the maiale of World War II and the actual human torpedo.
World War II
  • Siluro a Lenta Corsa (Italian, Low Speed Torpedo – SLC), also known as maiale (Italian for "pig", plural maiali).
  • Siluro San Bartolomeo (Italian, St. Bartholomew Torpedo, also called SSB). It was never used in action. Image at this link.

For information on Italian manned torpedo operations, see Decima Flottiglia MAS. Media related to Maiale manned torpedo at Wikimedia Commons

After 1945
  • CE2F/X100 is a make of chariot made after 1945. There is an image of it on this link. They are made in Italy. Range 50 miles (80 km). 2 riders. The Pakistan Navy has several of them. India and Argentina also have some. Recent upgrades include:
    • control module with a GPS
    • autopilot
    • Digitized on board electronics
    • launcher for five LCAW minitorpedoes (optional)

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