Witness state-of-the-art military technology swiftly destroy a ship from the air

The US Air Force has an innovative technique that can quickly sink a ship in front of you. Their research lab has published film of the advanced weapon, called QUICKSINK, demonstrating its ability to destroy a vessel in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Air Force Research Laboratory and Eglin’s Integrated Test Team conducted the QUICKSINK test on April 28, 2022.

An F-15E Strike Eagle fighter aircraft dropped a single bomb on the empty freight vessel, causing it to sink in less than 30 seconds. The second video shows the ship lying on the seafloor, visibly split into two halves.

The Air Force was naturally ambiguous on the specifics of the device and its high level of effectiveness. The information indicates that QUICKSINK utilizes a customized 907-kilogram (2,000-pound) Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), a technique that transforms unguided bombs into precise “smart” weapons that can accurately strike targets.

JDAM systems may enable unguided bombs to accurately strike a target within a 5-meter radius if GPS data is accessible. Even in the absence of GPS data, the system is capable of hitting a target with a margin of error of 30 meters (98 feet).

Torpedoes, underwater missiles launched from ships or submarines, are often used to sink enemy ships. This new technology provides the military with a more efficient method to eliminate ships from the air. Moreover, it is far more cost-effective than a torpedo and can cover a substantially broader expanse of water.

Heavy-weight torpedoes are efficient at sinking big ships, but they are costly and used by only a limited number of naval resources. Major Andrew Swanson, 85th TES division chief of Advanced Programs, stated that QUICKSINK is a cost-effective and flexible solution suitable for most Air Force combat aircraft, offering more choices to combatant commanders and warfighters.

“A Navy submarine can launch a torpedo to destroy a ship, but the QUICKSINK JCTD project aims to create a cost-effective method to achieve similar results from the air more frequently and over a larger area,” said Kirk Herzog, AFRL program manager.