Like wire through cheese: supercavitation: suprcavitation occurs when a submerged moving body is covered in water vapour, with consequent reduction in density-dependent friction. Already applied to torpedoes and special-purpose bullets, the concept may be extended to submarines, surface vessels and (possibly) bunker-busting munitions.

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Like wire through cheese: supercavitation: suprcavitation occurs when a submerged moving body is covered in water vapour, with consequent reduction in density-dependent friction. Already applied to torpedoes and special-purpose bullets, the concept may be extended to submarines, surface vessels and (possibly) bunker-busting munitions.

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An underwater supercavitating missile can be likened to a wire cutting through cheese. Compared to a knife, a wire accepts some increase in pressure drag in order to achieve a massive reduction in wetted area and thus viscous drag.

Supercavitation was first considered as a means to increase the underwater range of shells fired to strike ships below their waterlines. However, anti-ship projectiles with blunt noses (as used to generate supercavitation) were developed to avoid ricochets from the water surface.

During World War I the renowned Thomas Edison proposed a 'Pagoda Hea...

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