Why didn't Tupolev destroy the incoming torpedo?
In the final scene of "The Hunt for Red October" (1990) captain Tupolev's submarine is destroyed by an incoming torpedo, initially fired by his own ship.
Why didn't he (or any of his crew) use the torpedo's radio-self-destruct mechanism to destroy it before it actually hit his boat?
Though the final scene is filmed in a rush, I can clearly see that there was enough time. The first officer could spend those two 2-3 seconds on pushing the button instead of giving the pathetic talk to his captain.
Am I correct? Is this a plot whole (rather intended -- as movie would end completely differently) or did I miss something obvious?
Best Answer
Although there is no evidence one way or the other that the Soviet torpedoes had the same self-destruct capability as the US ones they were probably turned off.
Earlier, a Soviet torpedo fails to detonate when it strikes the Red October...due to "safety features" being enabled.
Capt. Vasili Borodin: Torpedo impact, 5 seconds.
[the torpedo slams into the bow of Red October and breaks up on impact]
Commander Bart Mancuso: I'll be damned!
Jack Ryan: What happened?
Commander Bart Mancuso: Combat tactics, Mr. Ryan. By turning into the path of the torpedo, the Captain closed the distance before it could arm itself.
Jack Ryan: So that's it?
Captain Ramius: Not quite. Right now Tupolev is removing the safety features on all his weapons. He won't make the same mistake twice.
Konovalov Crewman: Torpedo, Dead Ahead!
Andrei Bonovia: [to Captain Tupolev] You arrogant ass! You've killed us!
[just moments later, the Konovalov explodes.]
Of course, this is a movie construction for dramatic purposes...no such final scene appears in the original novel where, in fact, the Konovalov is literally rammed and crushed by the Red October.
The Red October rammed the Konovalov just aft of midships at a thirty-degree angle. The force of the collision ruptured the Konovalov‘s titanium pressure hull and crumpled the October‘s bow as if it were a beer can.
The Konovalov had had full watertight integrity set. It did not make a difference. Two compartments were instantly vented to the sea, and the bulkhead between the control room and the after compartments failed a moment later from hull deformation. The last thing that Tupolev saw was a curtain of white foam coming from the starboard side.
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Answer 2
Torpedoes fall into three basic categories: Unguided, Self-guided, and Wire guided.
Unguided torpedoes cannot be remotely detonated, they have no communication with the mothership.
Self-guided torpedoes usually cannot be remotely detonated, they have no communication with the mothership.
Wire-guided torpedoes can be remotely detonated because they are steered via a long set of communications wires. The disadvantage is that the controlling ship can't manoeuvre as well without risking breaking the wire. Some of them will transition to a different mode of operation if the wire is broken.
Radio-guided is possible, but they tend only to work well for surface ships with surface targets where the amount of water between transmitter and receiver can be kept to a minimum.
The most likely explanation therefore is that it was either a simple homing torpedo or a wire-guided torpedo where the wire was broken somehow during the fight. In either case it would not have been abortable.
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