5 Unique Weapons Of Cuba’s Garage-Built Navy

[El Presidente]

 

For some reason this story brought a smile to my face 

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/hisutton/2020/03/15/5-unique-weapons-of-cubas-garage-built-navy/#605d4e792acc

5 Unique Weapons Of Cuba’s Garage-Built Navy

 

H I SuttonContributor

Aerospace & Defense

The Cuban Navy, more formally known as the Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria, posses some of the most unusual naval vessels afloat. Since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 they have had to look to their own ship builders for naval vessels. And like the vintage cars that Cuba is famous for, the resulting contraptions are quirky to say the least.

The Cuban Navy has some unique warships and submarines in its inventory. 

H I SUTTON

1. Unique submarine

The locally-built Delfin class submarine is particularly camera shy. Candid photos and satellite imagery suggest that it's around 65-70 feet long and about 100 tons. But we don't know much else about it. Judging by its size it can probably carry a couple of torpedoes, which mean that it is probably Cuba's most potent weapon.

Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) image analysis showing a Cuban submarine in Havana. This is part of ... [+]

 SAHUREKA / H I SUTTON

2. Trawlers into warships

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The largest warships in the inventory are actually armed fishing trawlers. Two Spanish-built Rio Damuji stern trawlers were locally reshaped to have a helicopter landing deck and weapons. These ships come in around 3,200 tons which is similar to the U.S. Navy's Littoral Combat Ships (LCS). Armament includes vintage Silkworm anti-ship missiles and a twin 57mm autocannon turret ripped from a tank.

The Cuban Navy is occasionally featured on State TV, providing a rare glimpse of these unusual ... [+]

 CUBAN STATE TV

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3. Improvised torpedo raft

At the other end of the spectrum the Cuban Navy has figured out the smallest boat possible to carry a torpedo. Taking a left-over torpedo tubes from scrapped Cold War era boats, they have combined them with a pontoon raft. Basically it uses two steel tubes as floats with a torpedo tube mounted between them. The pilot perches on the back controlling both the outboard motor and the firing mechanism. Several of these were built around 15 years ago and they appear to still be in service. They might be the smallest warships in the world.

 

4. Special Forces minisub

The underwater chariot used by Cuba's commando frogmen was first revealed in a photograph in 2013. Its use is similar to the U.S. Navy's SEAL Delivery Vehicles (SDVs). The design appears to be heavily influenced by the Italian built Cos.Mo.S Seehorse family. These were first built in the 1950s and were used by the SEALs among others. Possibly Cuba acquired one from the CIA backed Cuban Exiles in the 1960s.

 

5. The mystery improvised torpedo boat

Satellite imagery reveals a torpedo boat berthed in Havana. The tubes are unmistakable. But it is not one of the old Project 123K boats supplied by Russia in the early 1960s. It is possibly something concocted from a speedboat hull and the tubes from a scrapped warship. We have yet to get a photo that answers what exactly it is.

 

 

[La_Tigre]

I think Disney made a movie about secret weapon #4. 

[Fuzz]

We all know that Cuba haven't got the most technologically advanced military. Torpedoes need to be guided/smart to hit their targets.

So why has Cuba not used manned torpedos?!?! No need for all those pesky electronics. Just stick a steering wheel and seat on it and you have a guided torpedo. Plus you can have a bigger warhead now that the electronics are removed!

[El Presidente]

"Deathwish" would have to be defined as a submariner in the Cuban navy

[Markspring1978]

At first I thought this was satire. But no...it’s real! 

[Tstew75]

Sweeeeeeeeeeeet rides