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The Type 93 Torpedo: “The Long Lance”

8/3/2023

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by Sean Wu 
Picture
​The vast expanse of the world's oceans has always presented unique challenges for naval warfare. Nations have continuously developed advanced weaponry to overcome these challenges and maintain supremacy at sea, including in the underwater domain. Among the weapons produced in World War 2, the Type 93 Torpedo stands out as a formidable piece of naval technology due to its unique features, capabilities, and historical significance. Even though this new technology helped Japan sink many ships, its advantages would also be its downfall after a miracle discovery by the US Navy and scientists.
​The Type 93 Torpedo, also known as the "Long Lance," was a wake-homing torpedo developed by Japan in the early 1920s. It was introduced as a successor to the Type 80 torpedo and represented a significant leap forward in torpedo technology. The development of the Type 93 Torpedo aimed to address the challenges posed by modern submarine warfare and provide the Japanese with a superior weaponry system compared to the United States. Earlier torpedoes used compressed air and alcohol to generate steam, which posed various problems. First of all, when the earlier models were traveling, bubble trails helped the enemies determine where they were headed and maneuvered to dodge them. Earlier torpedoes also had a shorter range, meaning that ships would have to get dangerously close to an enemy to get an open shot.
Picture
The “Long Lance” Torpedo’s launcher aboard an IJN cruiser during WW2. https://thetidesofhistory.com/ Copyright: Public Domain
Picture
A Type 93 torpedo recovered from Point Cruz, Guadalcanal, on display outside the U.S. Navy headquarters in Washington, D.C. https://commons.wikimedia.org/ Copyright: Public Domain
To solve these issues, Japanese engineers modeled the Type 93 on the Royal Navy's Mark 1 torpedo and took their innovation a step further. The Type 93 Torpedo had a length of approximately 9 meters (29.5 feet) and a diameter of 533 millimeters (21 inches). This frame was twice as large as any torpedoes in the world at the time, leading to the US giving the torpedo its nickname, "The Long Lance." It weighed around 2,700 kilograms (5,950 pounds) and carried 490 kg (1,080 lb) of Type 97 Shimose Powder, an explosive about 7% more powerful than pure TNT. The torpedo utilized a concentrated oxygen-fueled propulsion system instead of the former compressed air propulsion system. This improvement allowed it to achieve higher speeds and a longer range. It was considered one of the fastest torpedoes in the world at the time, capable of reaching speeds up to 96 km/h (60 mph) with an impressive operational range of over 50 kilometers (31 miles). It also employed an advanced wake-homing guidance system, which allowed it to track the wake disturbances left by surface ships, making it highly effective against surface vessels.​
Picture
Type 93 “Long Lance” Torpedo Gyroscope in the National WW2 Museum. https://www.nationalww2museum.org/ Copyright: Public Domain
Picture
The Kaiten were manned Type 93 torpedos that were designed to be suicide craft. https://commons.wikimedia.org/ Copyright: Public Domain
The Type 93 Torpedo offered several advantages over its predecessors and rival torpedo systems. The combination of its extended range and remarkable speed allowed the Japanese to strike swiftly and effectively, reducing the enemy's opportunity to carry out evasive maneuvers. In addition to its impressive speed, the torpedo was equipped with a wake-homing guidance system, improving its accuracy and reducing its interception risk. This feature enhanced the stealth of the Japanese Navy, allowing them to deliver lethal strikes without compromising their position.

The Type 93 Torpedo saw successful deployment in numerous naval battles and engagements. The Long Lance sunk the famous USS Hornet (CV-8) and countless Allied ships. When the torpedo debuted in 1942, Allied crews were often surprised when their ships were struck. The torpedo range was so large that Allied crews assumed they had been mined, torpedoed by a nearby submarine, or their ship had encountered some failure. Not knowing about the existence of the Type 93 at the time, many ships and crews went down without knowing what had hit them.

By the start of 1943, the Americans suspected the Japanese had a super weapon at their disposal. Still, it wasn't until the US Navy captured an intact Japanese warship that the Allies finally learned about the existence of the Type 93. After thoroughly inspecting the torpedo, they found some weaknesses. For example, the compressed oxygen stored in the torpedo as fuel was likely to self-detonate due to shock rather than hitting a ship. And as American airstrikes on Japanese ships became more common, Japanese commanders had to decide whether to keep the torpedoes on the ship and risk them blowing up due to shock or to jettison them. In the battle off Samar, the Japanese cruiser Suzuya was sunk due to the detonation of its Type 93 torpedoes after a bomb sent shock waves inside the ship.

The Type 93 Torpedo has had a profound impact on the strategic landscape of naval warfare. Its superior range, speed, and guidance systems have made it a sought-after weapon for Japan and other nations seeking advanced underwater capabilities. The development and deployment of the Type 93 Torpedo have prompted other naval powers to develop and improve their torpedo technology, contributing to an ongoing arms race in undersea warfare. The torpedo performed well against the Allies' Navies and sank 22 ships in total throughout its operational history. Although the torpedo had the disadvantage of self-detonation, the Japanese Navy thought that its capabilities outweighed its risks and continued to use it until the war came to an end in 1945.


Sources:

DaveW. “Type 93 ‘Long Lance’ Torpedo Gyroscope: The National WWII Museum: New Orleans.” The National WWII Museum | New Orleans, 21 Aug. 2017, www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/type-93-long-lance-torpedo-gyroscope. 

Stubblebine, David. “Type 93 Torpedo.” WW2DB, ww2db.com/weapon.php?q=386. Accessed 17 July 2023. 

Dr. Friedman is the author of The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapon Systems from the Naval Institute Press. “A Massive Torpedo.” U.S. Naval Institute, 5 Sept. 2019, www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2019/april/massive-torpedo. 

IJN Torpedo - Long Lance, www.angelfire.com/blog/baileyfamily/NavyField/LongLance.html. Accessed 17 July 2023.
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  • Home
    • About >
      • FAQ's - Frequently Asked Questions
    • Support Us >
      • Projects you can support! >
        • Distributing Books
        • Presenting at 112th Annual Meeting of Pacific Coast Branch
        • Summer Research Relocation Fund
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      • Black Hearts (2021)
    • Blog
    • Podcast: Forgotten History
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    • Supplementary Research Guides >
      • Unit 731 - Guide >
        • Background of Biochemical Warfare Development
        • Imperial Japan's Chemical Warfare Development Program
        • Map of Unit 731
        • Personnel of Unit 731
        • Duties of Unit 731
        • Human Experimentation
        • [GRAPHIC] Germ Warfare Attacks
        • Cover Ups After the War
        • [OLD] Cover Ups After the War
      • Philippines' Resistance - Guide >
        • Philippines World War II Timeline
        • The Japanese Invasion & Conquest of the Philippines
        • Bataan Death March
        • Formation of Underground Philippines Resistance
        • Supplies of the Guerrilla Fighters
        • The Hukbalahap
        • Hunter's ROTC
        • Marking's Guerrillas
        • United States Army Forces in the Philippines of Northern Luzon (USAFIP-NL)
        • The Aetas
        • Chinese and Filipino-Chinese Nationalist Guerrilla Units
        • The Female Faces of the Philippine Guerrillas
      • Rising Sun Flag - Guide >
        • History of the Rising Sun Flag
        • Atrocities Committed Under the Flag
        • Rising Sun Flag in Pop Culture
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        • Japanese Occupation of the Philippine Islands: Pinays Answering the Call to Arms
        • The Fierce Heneralas and Kumanders of the Hukbalahap Guerrillas
        • Amazons of the Pacific Theater
        • Filipina American Veterans: Recovering the Extraordinary Feats of the Ordinary Pinays
        • The Legacy of the Asian Women Soldier
      • Fall of Singapore - Guide >
        • Singapore World War II Timeline
        • History of World War II in the Pacific
        • History of Singapore
        • Japan's Conquest in Asia
        • Japan's Invasion of the Malay Peninsula
        • Sook Ching Massacre
        • Double Tenth Incident
        • Social Changes and Challenges in Singapore
        • Voices from Syonan
        • Return to British Rule
      • Three Years and Eight Months - Guide >
        • Hong Kong before WW2
        • Buildup to World War 2
        • The Battle of Hong Kong
        • Life during 3 Years and 8 Months
        • East River Column Guerrilla Fighters
        • Prisoners of War Camps
        • End of Japanese Occupation
        • War Crimes Trials
      • Siamese Sovereignty - Guide >
        • The Land of Smiles
        • The Thai-Japanese Relationship
        • Phibun’s Domestic and International Policies
        • The Free Thai Resistance Movement
        • Post WW2 Aftermath of Thailand
      • The Khabarovsk War Crimes Trial - Guide >
        • Defendants of Khabarovsk War Crime
        • The Japanese Empire and USSR in WW2
        • The Employment of the Bacteriological Weapon in the War
        • Planning of Japan invasion to USSR
      • Unit 731 Cover-up : The Operation Paperclip of the East - Guide >
        • Establishing Manchukuo
        • The Development of Unit 731
        • Plan Kantokuen and Bacteriological Warfare
        • The Downfall of the Japanese WW2 Era
        • Three Stages of Interrogations
        • Lasting Impacts
      • Marutas of Unit 731 - Guide >
        • How did Ishii Shiro start unit 731?
        • A Beta Testing Site
        • Establishing Pingfan
        • Experiences at the Human Experimentation Complex
        • Vivisection at the Unit 731
        • Anta Testing Grounds
        • Overall Advance from the Laboratory Creations
        • The End of the War
      • Prince Konoe Memoir - Guide >
        • Who is Prince Konoe?
        • Preparation to Tripartite Pact
        • Emperor Hirohito and Prince Konoe
        • The End of Prince Konoe
      • Competing Empires in Burma - Guide >
        • What was the China-Burma-India Theater?
        • When did the China-Burma-India Theater Happen?
        • Who Fought in the China-Burma-India Theater?
        • The Second Sino Japanese War
        • Japan in the South
        • Operation U-Go
      • Battle of Shanghai - Guide >
        • The Battle of Shanghai. Background
        • Shanghai Before War
        • The First Battle of Shanghai 1932
        • Battle of Shanghai 1937
        • Aftermath of Battle for Shanghai
      • Ishi Shiro - Guide >
        • History of Biological Weapons and The Young Ishii Shiro
        • Establishment in Manchuria
        • Pingfang District - Harbin
        • Failures and Corruption
        • Post War
      • Taiwan The Israel of the East - Guide >
        • Background of Formosa
        • Industrialization of Japan
        • China During WWII
        • Taiwan under Kuomintang
        • New Taiwanese National Identity
      • Seeking Justice for Biological Warfare Victims of Unit 731 - Guide >
        • Introduction of Wang Xuan
        • Colonel Memorandum
        • The Beginning of Biological Warfare
        • The Bacteriological Warfare on China
        • Victims in Zhejiang’s Testimonies
        • After the War
      • Rice and Revolution - Guide >
        • The French Colonial Period
        • Anti-Colonial Resistance
        • The Rise of the Communist Movement
        • Imperial Japan’s Entry into Indochina
        • The Portents of Famine
        • The Famine (1944-45)
        • Legacy of the 1944-45 Vietnam Famine
      • Clash of Empires - Guide >
        • Japan’s Imperialist Origins
        • Japan’s Competition against the West: Nanshin-ron and Hokushin-ron
        • Japanese Imperialism Through the Lens of French Indochina
        • The U.S.-Japan Relations and the Pearl Harbor Attack
      • Hunger for Power and Self-SufficiencyI - Guide >
        • The Influence of War Rations on Post-War Culinary Transformations
        • How World War II Complicated Food Scarcity and Invention
        • American Military Innovations
        • Government-Sponsored Food Inventions in Europe during World War II
        • Feeding the Army: The Adaptation of Japanese Military Cuisine and Its Impact on the Philippines
        • Mixed Dishes: Culinary Innovations Driven by Necessity and Food Scarcity
      • Denial A Quick Look of History of Comfort Women and Present Days’ Complication - Guide >
        • The Comfort Women System and the Fight for Recognition
        • The Role of Activism and International Pressure
        • The Controversy over Japanese History Textbooks
        • The Sonyŏsang Statue and the Symbolism of Public Memorials
        • Activism and Support from Japanese Citizens
        • The Future of Comfort Women Memorials and Education
      • Echoes of Empire: The Power of Japanese Propaganda - Guide >
        • Brief Overview of Imperial Japan
        • Defining Propaganda
        • Propaganda Encouraging Action​
        • The Rise of Nationalism
        • The Formation of Japanese State Propaganda
        • Youth and Education
    • Lesson Plans >
      • Reparations
      • Ethics in Science
      • Writing the Narrative of a Pinay Fighter
      • Privilege Journal
      • Environmental Injustices
      • Female Guerrillas
      • Hunter's ROTC
      • Scientific Advancements
      • Seeking Justice: A Humanities Lesson Plan
      • The Hukbalahap
      • Trading Immunity
      • Bataan Death March
      • Biochemical Warfare Development
Contribute