OVERVIEW: The SST-3 Seeaal is a heavyweight, submarine-launched, electric torpedo developed by West Germany in the early 1970s for anti-ship warfare. It uses passive acoustic homing and wire guidance and was designed for use by conventional submarines against surface vessels.

DETAILS: The SST-3 Seeaal (Super Schwerer Torpedo, Model 3) was derived from the German DM-2 torpedo series, developed by Atlas Elektronik. Entering service in 1972, it featured an electric propulsion system powered by silver-zinc batteries, a passive acoustic seeker, and wire guidance for mid-course corrections. The SST-3 was optimized for stealthy operations, allowing U-boat crews to engage enemy ships silently in blue water and littoral environments. It was 533 mm in diameter, compatible with standard NATO submarine tubes, and equipped with a large high-explosive warhead designed to damage or sink major surface combatants.

TYPE: Heavyweight Anti-Ship Guided Torpedo

FUNCTION: Launched from a 533 mm submarine tube, the SST-3 operates via wire guidance during initial travel, transitioning to passive acoustic homing to engage enemy surface vessels. It is designed to approach silently and strike high-value targets with minimal detectability.

NOTE:
IOC: 1972 (SST-3 Seeaal)
Manufacturer: West Germany (Atlas Elektronik)
Operators: West Germany, Argentina, Israel, Turkey
Platforms: Type 206 submarine (Germany), Type 209/1200 (Argentina, Turkey), Gal-class (Israel)

SOURCE:
Jane’s Naval Weapon Systems ; Atlas Elektronik official publications ; Federation of American Scientists (FAS): https://man.fas.org/dod-101/sys/ship/weaps/index.html ; GlobalSecurity.org: https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/sst-3.htm ; Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SST_(torpedo)