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An item to keep in mind, if you already own Harpoon Ultimate, you have Harpoon 97 already (and a lot of other versions) via the 20th Anniversary launcher pictured below.

The code in AreaDefense loops thru the mounts from first to last looking for a valid weapon, not the optimal weapon. AreaDefense also tags the target missiles as crossing targets so that skips at least one range check (which doesn't take courses into account so would not have prevented the SAMs from firing. It is not a small undertaking to replace the AreaDefense logic. The ExportDLL interface allows it to be replaced without modifying the core game (which we can no longer do). In short, don't hold your breath on a fix for this one. The intriguing bit is that NewAreaDefense() which I wrote in the 2013 timeframe. It does check speed and bearings to see if an intercept is kinematically possible. NewAreaDefense was not completed.

AAR for this scenario, I hope it's in the right place. Thanks for this, it was very fun. I got Minvic with 60 A/C shot down, and 5 ships sunk. After that, it seemed like I was just making the rubble jump, so I moved on. What I found out is that the F-35 is almost invincible, even with the shorter range C7 AMRAAM.

Following a suggestion from someone else on the Steam forum, I was able to find an almost 30 year old fix! Dr. Who's Harpoon Pages https://www.harpoonpages.com/harpoon1.htm The 4/04/97 update can be downloaded and imported into the Harpoon Classic 97 folder to replace the NAVC.res file (I created a backup of the original file just in case). When I ran the scenarios using that updated file, the ships all appeared correclty as Okean class instead of Kalinin class. The website also includes an update for the EC2000 scenarios. Were there any old bugs you can remember from those scenarios - anything I should look out for before deciding whether to apply that update as well?

For those of you not active on social media, you may not have heard that long time Harpoon community member Byron 'JClark' Audler passed away on 15 April. His notable contributions included being a knowledgeable ship fitter (irl), scenario author, HC2002 program manager, and HULL mailing list moderator, and a Lifetime Pooner award winner. His bio can be found at Ed Ladner's website Dr Who's Harpoon Pages here : https://www.harpoonpages.com/Bios/bio022.htm Fair winds and following seas.

I like that the Discord link is more visible but to your point, Downloads are less visible. I see them in a Browse menu.

Yeah, in general I think that as long as the annex ceilings exist, more focus is better. For example, e.g. a battleset that focuses on the Persian Gulf from 1990 to 2002. And its usually easier to be backward looking in historical context when developing a DB (and a battleset that employs it) than trying to predict the future.

Demo version 2025.025 has been uploaded.

Thanks for the idea, but the possibility of a Russian convoy clearing the Kattegat against even light opposition is zero. However, how about a Russian convoy to reinforce Kaliningrad from St Petersburg while NATO (with no USA) is distracted elsewhere? I could cook up something like that pretty soon.

"And this brings on an even bigger question, how many people still want to play this game? " That's something I sometimes wonder. Certainly the download of new scenarios isn't what it used to be but there is still obvious interest. Also time will tell but the Steam addition to the equation might well bring a new surge. I think HC is still a unique simulation, where the new programs are more a game. Taking into account current limits to database size when pondering this question I've wondered whether there's now a need to start a new (series 3?) DB from a more recent start date - an issue is that many nations still use quite old platforms. The main issue to my mind is the sheer size of the job of starting from scratch.

*** SPOILER ALERT*** Well while I got my total victory, the sinking of a damaged merchantman in reprisal for a UAV incursion on my airspace, I suffered a large loss and the opinion rating in the polls are pretty bad I spent about 4 hrs for 10 hrs game time. I decided to try and occupy the mid and east Black Sea and to weed out and sink anything that Russia had in the area. Maintaining air cover by F-16 proved costly. Keeping up good surveillance without AC loss proved difficult (OK I didn't manage it). Not waiting for Poland to bring in better AC for ASUW attacks proved costly, in the end a flight of three F16 and a pack of mavericks was all I needed. Well trimming the number of Russian fighters patrolling the area before hand did help but at a worse than 1:1 loss ratio. I'm going to have another go at this gem, after a bit of wound licking, and with a much more conservative strategy. I'll certainly be trying tho dodge their Su-35S Flanker E and maybe let their naval patrols have their end of the Black sea for themselves Thanks heaps for this Patrick. Stats: [Victory Summary] Time=05 Jan 2026, 06:14:02 The RED side has met their minimum victory conditions Time=05 Jan 2026, 10:50:02 The BLUE side has met their minimum victory conditions Time=05 Jan 2026, 10:50:02 The BLUE side has met their total victory conditions [Kill Detail Blue Side ] F-16CM40 Falcon 15/Plane=6 MQ-8C Fire Scout 17/Helicopter=3 F-16CJ50 Falcon 14/Plane=5 CN-235MSA/Plane=2 Super Lynx Mk110 05/Helicopter=1 Heybeliada/Ship=1 S-70B28 Seahawk 12/Helicopter=5 Gediz (FFG7/11)/Ship=2 E-737 Peace Eagle/Plane=2 [Kill Detail Red Side ] MiG-35 Fulcrum F 18/Plane=8 Il-38 May 92/Plane=4 Ka-27M Helix A 17/Helicopter=3 Ka-29RLD Helix E 95/Helicopter=1 MiG-31BM Foxhound 15/Plane=1 Buyan Pr21630 06/Ship=1 Su-35S Flanker E/Plane=4 Steregushchiy Pr2038 07/Ship=1 Su-34 Fullback 16/Plane=12 Gorshkov Pr22350/Ship=1 Grigorovich (1135.6)/Ship=1 Soobraziltelny Pr20381 11/Ship=1 Merchant damaged/Ship=1 MiG-29KR Fulcrum D 15/Plane=2 [StoresConsumed - Blue] Blue Weapon=Tally AIM-120C7 AMRAAM=41 AIM-120B AMRAAM=29 AGM-158A JASSM=32 Taurus KEPD350=24 AGM-88B HARM (ARM)=28 AGM-84K SLAM-ER=26 SOM-A=16 SA-10c Grumble (S-300PMU)=22 SM-1MR Block VIB=29 RIM-162B ESSM=12 UGM-84C Harpoon=8 DM2A4 Seahake=2 SM-3 Block IIB=16 RGM-84G Harpoon=4 AIM-9X Sidewinder=10 AGM-65G Maverick=6 [StoresConsumed - Red] Red Weapon=Tally AA-12 Adder B (R-77-1)=12 AA-13 Arrow (R-37)=6 SA-21 (9M96E)=43 SA-N-12 Grizzly (Shtil-1)=36 AA-12 Adder C (R-77M1)=26 AA-10 Alamo C (R-27RE)=26 AA-10 Alamo D (R-27TE)=6 SA-N-11a Grisom=3 SS-N-26 Strobile=8 SS-N-27 Sizzler (3M54)=8 Sosna-R (9M337)=3 AA-12 Adder A (R-77)=8 AA-10 Alamo A (R-27R)=11 AS-4 Kitchen D (Kh-32)=24 SS-N-25 Switchblade=8 SA-24 Grinch (Igla-S)=14 SA-6b Gainful Mod1 (Kub-M4)=12 AA-11 Archer (R-73M)=4 SA-23b (9M82M)=4 AA-11 Archer (R-73)=2 [Damage List Red] ZZa: 00 Yeysk damage=265/2500 ZXp: 00 Novorossiysk damage=1067/2500 ZYS: 02 Grad Sviyazhsk damage=33/36 [Damage List Blue] ARS: 00 Anadolou damage=303/425 Time (well) spent: [Session Summary] Session Game Start=5 Jan 2026, 01:00:00 GameTimeDuration ThisSession=3Hrs23 Mins TotalGameTimeDuration=3Hrs23Mins GameTimeToGO=68 Hrs: 36 Mins Session End RealTime=4/02/2026 22:00:00 RealTimeDuration ThisSession=1:09:59 ==== ===== Session Game Start=5 Jan 2026, 04:23:54 GameTimeDuration ThisSession=3Hrs21 Mins TotalGameTimeDuration=6Hrs45Mins GameTimeToGO=65 Hrs: 14 Mins Session End RealTime=5/02/2026 13:01:14 RealTimeDuration ThisSession=1:39:00 ==== ===== Session Game Start=5 Jan 2026, 07:45:18 GameTimeDuration ThisSession=3Hrs20 Mins TotalGameTimeDuration=10Hrs5Mins GameTimeToGO=61 Hrs: 54 Mins Session End RealTime=5/02/2026 17:51:41 RealTimeDuration ThisSession=1:18:20 ==== =====

Turkey2.zip Here is a revisit of Don's excellent take on Turkey vs Russia. What if you had no F-35's? Victory conditions and order of battle are very much the same. You'll get a few more fighters, a small carrier, and two tankers. This might be hard. DUCK Patrick Howard

Progress is slow. The yanks must be running low on TLAMs, they've lost important surveillance, fighter and bomber AC and we're getting our bases stocked. But it still looks dodgy. Having lots of fun!

Yes, the publishing agreement allows for updates and upgrades.

In a few weeks you should start seeing signs of the current Harpoon Classic build being published on Steam. Apparently, the publishing process has been prioritized again.

Thanks broncepulido, Merry Christmas all!

Those are some powerful AGIs! I can confirm that the HC97 we published with Matrix Games also has/had that flaw. I suppose that would mean it is a known issue since for nearly 30 years <g>. The same flaw is present in the most recent builds so was not corrected. What we did with some similar situations is programmatically override bad BattleSet data when the BattleSet (which in those old ones included the platform database specific to each BattleSet) did have issues. The tools to re-generate those legacy BattleSets were lost to time. MicroProse has the ability to fix in a couple of ways (via programmatic override or painstakingly re-building the BattleSet). I suggest the time is much better spent re-making such scenarios in newer BattleSets that do not have the flaw, something you can do without any exotic tooling. I'm 99% sure I wrote a utility that could at least view but possibly update some of the legacy BattleSets but haven't located it yet.

I don't for certain but does the steam hc97 have a scenario editor that would let you edit the battleset scenario and replace the units with something more suitable. It sounds like a clerical error in putting the database together. In these old games the database is built into the game,so fixing it is a major item that I'd guess isn't likely to happen, but who knows. Someone else might very well have better ideas.

Yes, MicroProse is a small operation at present. You also hit upon an important additional consideration, they are not as intimately knowledgeable about Computer Harpoon as many of their consumers. The next six months or so should be informative, how they handle the growth in their catalog, communication with players about roadmap, etc. but in my dealings so far there has been positive intent and a desire to learn.

Taiwan Straight 2nd Crisis Escalated View File Scenario Background: On 24 and 25 August 1958 Chinese Communist (PRC) forces and Taiwanese (ROC) forces clashed in the vicinity of Dongding Island, which the Nationalist (ROC) troops controlled. The action was seen as an attempt by the communists to land on the island. This was the only naval and amphibious landing action during the crisis. ROC had begun to build military installations on the island of Kinmen (Quemoy) and the Matsu archipelago, very close to the Chinese mainland. The PRC shelled the islands of Kinmen (Quemoy) and the Matsu Islands in an attempt to take them from Taiwan, governed by the Kuomintang (KMT), and to probe the extent of American commitment to defend the Republic of China. The conflict also involved air, naval, and amphibious operations. Then U.S. secretary of state Christian Herter reportedly described it as the "first serious nuclear crisis". The USA provided military assistance in both material, especially aircraft and artillery, and a strong naval presence including naval escorts for island repleshments. The Communist Chinese government announced a unilateral ceasefire on 6 October 1958. However, on 20 October the PLA resumed artillery fire on Kinmen because a U.S. Navy warship had breached the PRC-declared 3 nautical miles exclusive zone from the coast of China that they claimed was a stipulation for their unilateral ceasefire agreement. In this scenario we play with the idea of the situation escalating, rather than subsiding. Use Database HCCW 140314 and for best play Game version 2025.023 or newer and ErrataGE.dll (download from harpgamer.com forum). Submitter donaldseadog Submitted 08/25/2025 Category WestPac  

This released on the weekend. It's H97 version 1.60.

Confirmed in 2025.024 This can be fixed with the aid of an ExportDLL. In other words, it doesn't absolutely require a change to the game code itself.

PS, the 'Capture' feature has a better algorithm for calculating success, and I'm now looking at a repair system so once you've punished a base and captured it you can get it back to operating 100%. The long term goal is to be able to run a long term strategic scenario including expansion of territory and ammunition logistics.

That is what is known as a pre-commondb BattleSet so it does not use the user modifiable databases. I strongly suggest players only play the EC2003 and 'newer' BattleSets as they use the user-created databases and also don't have sub-optimal (i.e. compatibility) logic.

Well, al least it all means Harpoon still has some future.

Below is an installer that should bring any copy of the game purchased from Matrix Games up to the current build. https://www.harpgamer.com/downloads/HC2025.025_ComprehensivePatch.zip When you get to selecting an installation directory and Start Menu group, please double-check that they are correct before proceeding.

A torpedo-tube-launched robot built to secretly plant mines from American submarines just got another $14 million push toward becoming operational, as the U.S. Navy exercises new contract options with General Dynamics Mission Systems to keep developing the system. The Navy Sea Systems Command awarded the Massachusetts-based defense contractor a modification worth roughly $13.97 million on […]View the full article

The old kangaroos often make our place a retirement home.

Polish, Lithuanian, and French troops are conducting a large-scale military exercise in northeastern Poland focused on defending one of NATO’s most vulnerable geographic chokepoints, deploying unmanned ground robots alongside tanks, artillery, and infantry fighting vehicles in scenarios designed to test whether allied forces can hold a 65-kilometer (40-mile) land corridor that military planners have identified […]View the full article

Just solved now, I don't know was happened!

Dawned on me as I was about to send the scenario that I was running on my modified database, which has a number of updates that include the units and weapons involved. I'm in the middle of updating several countries (Japan, DPRK, ROK) in my database to represent post ~2000 and omit previous years. Will shift gears later this week and remodel the scenario with the current game version database. If I have the same problem, will advise and send. 👍

If at first you don't succeed, ... (try again in case your luck has improved)

The aerial drones in particular, or more to the point their loadouts, would be a demand on our database if treated individually, so that was mostly where I was thinking, and some well thought out generic platforms would be beneficial. For the type treated as weapons I'm thinking there is much more space availability in our DB annexes, maybe a few new specialised platforms and mounts and modified existing platforms but for the most part it would just be additional weapons?

I'm assuming the date range includes the active platforms in various nations so I think that sounds good, in line with what brad was doing when he created hcdb2 as the update of the first general hcdb.

(linked from our current events sub forum) https://defence-blog.com/russia-warns-of-possible-military-action-in-baltic-sea/

Australian aerospace company Hypersonix Launch Systems confirmed Feb. 13, 2026, that a launch window has been set for the first flight test of its DART AE hypersonic aircraft, with the mission scheduled to launch no earlier than late February from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia. The […]View the full article

Also, in a current times DB probably we need less platforms (less in service types of aircraft, ships and submarines in I think every country).

I recently picked up Harpoon Classic '97 from Steam, having never played Harpoon before. I've played the tutorial scenario and am excited to play through all 250 scenarios in due course. I fire it up each evening with a hot cup of decaf coffee in hand and a copy of The Hunt for Red October next to me. 😉 I have a few questions based on what I've read online and heard about. From what I understand, Matrix had a much bigger, more robust version of "classic Harpoon" that was discontinued and removed from digital store shelves last year. Several months later, Harpoon Classic '97 was released by Microprose and quickly updated to v1.63b. After incorporating Steam cloud saves in September, radio silence. Has anyone here been in contact with Microprose about potentially bringing the game closer to where the community brought the Matrix edition over the last couple decades? Will custom scenarios here work with Harpoon Classic '97, or do they require the Matrix edition that has now disappeared? Why do you continue to play Harpoon when Command Modern Operations exists? (I have never played). How different does Harpoon Classic '97 play from paper Harpoon V? What advice do you have for a newcomer not only to Harpoon but also to wargaming in general? Thank you and have a good one!

I really enjoyed this one, but what if (as happened) the sale of F-35's to Turkey were halted? I have gently modified this scenario to reflect that. Don, is it OK if I share it? I think it will be a little daunting....

Very "simple" but interesting and funny scenario. Victory achived after some 15 hours of game time, after sunk six Russian warships and the fake merchant/Japanese drone carrier. Very interesting the use of the only tanker in Poland to support the Gripen strikes. Also on the Russian side the range limitations operating from a relatively far base. Thanks Don!

***SPOILER ALERT*** After about 9 hrs of play and TotalGameTimeDuration=24Hrs22Mins we have a result, which I found rather funny seeing USA is now regarded as commo camp by I assume the Frogs. Some summary detail to start: [Kill Summary Red Side ] Planes:=172 AD mobile:=3 Submarines:=2 Carriers:=2 Ships:=15 Helicopters:=48 [Kill Summary Blue Side ] Ships:=2 Planes:=45 Helicopters:=1 AD mobile:=2 Submarines:=1 [StoresConsumed - Red] Red Weapon=Tally TLAM-C Blk IIIA=33 TACTOM Blk IV=583 RGM-84G Harpoon=8 AGM-84K SLAM-ER=12 TLAM-D Blk IIIB=33 MIM-104E PAC-2 GEM+=15 FIM-92D Stinger RMP=2 AIM-120D AMRAAM=209 AGM-158B JASSM-ER=96 AGM-158A JASSM=32 AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Blk II=4 GBU-31 (Mk84) JDAM=32 AIM-120C7 AMRAAM=10 SM-2MR Block IIIB=97 MIM-104F PAC-3=13 Mk54 Mako=3 Mk48 Mod7 CBASS=2 SM-6MR ERAM Blk I=28 MIM-104B PAC-1=22 RIM-162A ESSM=11 AIM-9X Sidewinder=8 [StoresConsumed - Blue] Blue Weapon=Tally Meteor=196 GBU-39/B SDB=201 AGM-88B HARM (ARM)=24 AIM-120C6 AMRAAM=49 AIM-120B AMRAAM=44 AIM-9X Sidewinder=10 20mm M61A1 burst=31 Aster 30=64 NASAMS II=42 IRIS-T=18 SM-2MR Block IIIB=24 RIM-162C ESSM=32 RIM-116B RAM Blk1=3 AIM-9L Sidewinder=6 AIM-9M Sidewinder=4 AGM-84K SLAM-ER=16 Mica EM=8 Mica IR=9 FIM-92D Stinger RMP=22 SCALP EG=144 MU-90 Impact=4 Company Paratroopers=1 DM2A4 Seahake=12 F17 Mod 2B=3 Platoon Paratroopers=8 Tp62=12 Airborne hvy wpn team=1 Platoon Rangers=1 Mk48 Mod7 CBASS=18 F21 Artemis=13 SM.39 Exocet Blk2=2 The strategy summary was to get plenty of fighters up onthe likely attack side of bases, kill base radar unless incoming threats were detected, start to ferry useful AC first to Iceland bases and where they could do the hop in one leg (often with tankers) to southern Greenland. Once the location of northern bound enemy surface groups was known (a short lived close contact helped there) recce flights (passive detectors only) ran every where that might be useful. The good number of subs were headed off at creep speed towards the SAGs, constantly worried about enemy subs bound to be heavily spread thru the area. Our prime Carrier group set up dense asw patrols form minute 1. Annoying red bases in Iceland and Greenland then got attention in the long run resulting in Keflavik being captured with minor damage and gain of a nice operational P-8A Poseidon which proved handy later. Pituffik Space Base wasn't of interest once the AC it housed were destroyed (either intercpted airbourne or hit while grounded). As the troops were getting a bit itchy we did send in a few commando raids. Not much inroads could be made against the Surface Groups, 2 carrier (probably escorts) and a large invasion force centred it seemed on Iwo Jima unit, a Wasp class until our subs got in close, then real action started. THe sub commanders held their nerve and got in to range of the big targets, sinking one carrier then heavily damaging the second (ultimately sunk) before pretty much eradicating their escorts. By this stage our attack AC off our nearest bases and DeGaulle were no longer needling at the enemy, their SCALP missiles were sending tons of now scarp to the bottom. Just to make a point we decided to cause a bit of mayhem on the enemies home turf and sent a few SCALP and SDBs into Loring AFB (damage=4337/9000). Despite the inclusion in the orders, we didn't duck - there was no time available Thanks heaps for this scenario, I can see a lot of effort gone into it, and I'll be having another run just so I can remember to better look after my EW and the HARM they carry. I guess I should first give the Reds a spin too. For anyone interested the full minutes and data are in the attached zipped txt file. AARdata-HDSI0.zip

The UK Ministry of Defence has confirmed that SYOS Aerospace has been selected to advance to the next stage of Project NYX, a program to develop “wingman drones” designed to operate alongside British Army Apache attack helicopters, the MOD announced last week. The selection places SYOS Aerospace alongside major defense firms invited to submit prototype […]View the full article

Doesn't count for victory, and also (as in case of tankers use) you are risking other aircrafts to any occasional undetected Iranian fighter.

Thank you Don, I'm hopeful I can give some additional answers tonight. The good news is that your demo suggestion is valid. The demo does not expire until 2030 and demonstrates the bulk of the changes between HC97 and the latest and greatest. If one gets really invigorated, I expect the ExportDLLs (game functionality add-ons) that worked with the 2024.005 build should work just fine with the demo.

But this is an appropriate place to ask, there are just better places at the moment like what xavier posted

I played HC'97 20-25 years ago and loved it. I completed a good chunk of the scenarios and battlesets back then. I noticed a few weeks ago that it was available on Steam, so I purchased it for nostalgia's sake. I completed all of the GIUK scenarios from the first battleset and moved on to the NACV battleset. Here is where I am running into issues. All three of the Okean class vessels in the first two scenarios are replaced with Kalinin class vessels. It is very odd to have a cruiser sailing solo with no escorts. It also causes severe imbalance issues, making the scenarios completely impossible for US/Blue and unenjoyable/non-challenging for USSR/Red. After doing a search in this forum for Okean, I learned that it is also used in the "Ambush" scenario of the NACV battleset. I checked that, and sure enough that has the same issue with Kalinin class instead of Okean class. I'm not sure what other scenarios use Okean class vessels, but my guess is that at minimum, every scenario from the NACV battleset that uses Okean class vessels will have that error. I looked up the individual ship names all of those "Kalinin" class ships were actual Okean class vessels - Repiter, Reduktor, and Zond - also confirming the error or bug. The Steam version was automatically updated to 1.63d. Is this a known issue with HC'97 or is it something unique to the Steam version? Is anyone aware of a fix?

View File Operation FRUKIS For play with Harpoon Classic vers 2022.027 or newer, Middle East Battleset and HCCW 140314 Database. Israel invaded Egypt on 29 October 1956, having done so with the primary objective of re-opening the Straits of Tiran and the Gulf of Aqaba as the recent tightening of the eight-year-long Egyptian blockade further prevented Israeli passage. After issuing a joint ultimatum for a ceasefire, the United Kingdom and France joined the Israelis on 5 November, seeking to depose Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser and regain control of the Suez Canal. [from wikipedia Suez Crisis Suez Crisis - Wikipedia ] In this scenario I've used as much as possible the platforms in use then by each country, but much reduced in numbers and non historically correct locations, and a very simplified strategic plan. The platforms of this era (and upto say late 60's) are interesting to use with usually radar controlled gunnery as primary AA defense and non guided short ranged rocket or bombs as primary aircraft launched surface attack weapons. The lack of terrain following ac equipment prevents close formation multi ac attacks instead requiring either high exposure to detection multi ac formation or multiple effectively single ac wave skimming attacks. Even in the early 70's non formation but close proximity wave skimming attacks by A4 skyhawks was still practiced by RAN fleet air arm. Submitter donaldseadog Submitted 10/13/2025 Category Middle East  

Anduril Industries says it has completed the first successful test of its prototype surface-launched Barracuda-500 missile. “To be blunt, existing solutions are too expensive, too exquisite, and too hard to produce,” the company stated in its announcement. “To deter our adversaries, the U.S. and our allies need an affordable, mass-producible way to project power over […] The post Anduril successfully tests surface-launched Barracuda-500 missile first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Seems like a winner to me, it may have to do 1DP of damage but with a super short range the chance of a hit could be minimal (and speaking of that a low Ph).

Beware! Mount entries 59971 and 60002, 533mm TT 11356 port and stb, are equipped not with 2xSET-65M torpedoes, but with 10xSET-65M each! I don't doubt about some 16 or 20xSET-65M reloads on internal magazines, but 20xSET-65M on mounts is a little overwhelming! (Discovered when testing a new scenario, attacking a Russian formation of 2xAdmiral Grigorovich-class frigates, my poor German-designed diesel-electric submarine was targeted instantly with 40xSET-65M ASW torpedoes).