OVERVIEW: The TEST‑71MKE is a heavyweight, export wire-guided torpedo introduced in the mid‑1990s. It is designed for submarine deployment and combines Soviet wire guidance with acoustic homing for anti‑submarine.

DETAILS: “TEST‑71” is a Soviet torpedo series based on the SET‑65M, and the “MKE” export variant adds the Keramika acoustic sensor and wake-homing capability (CLS VLKS) to the existing MANET system. It retains the 533 mm diameter, electric motor powered by silver‑zinc batteries, and a 205 kg warhead. The torpedo has selectable speeds (40 kn for 15 km or 25 kn for 25 km range), operates to depths of 400 m, and carries approximately 20 km of wire for steering. The “NK” designation indicates a version compatible with surface ship launches, but the TEST‑71MKE is submarine‑launched.

TYPE: Heavyweight Wire‑Guided Dual‑Purpose Torpedo

FUNCTION: Launched from a 533 mm submarine tube, the TEST‑71MKE uses wire guidance during the early and mid-course phase to allow steering from the host vessel. It transitions to active/passive acoustic homing to engage submerged.

NOTE:
IOC: Mid‑1990s (TEST‑71MKE)
Manufacturer: Soviet Union / Russia (Gidropribor / Dvigatel)
Operators: India, Algeria
Platforms: Project 877/Kilo-class submarines (export variants)

SOURCE:
topwar.ru domestic torpedo export analysis; WeaponsSystems.net TEST‑71 overview; GlobalSecurity Russian export torpedo data; Military Periscope TEST‑71MKE description.