Final answer:
U.S. Navy torpedoes are equipped with active and passive capabilities for target detection and engagement. Unlike the fictional magnetohydrodynamic drive from 'The Hunt for Red October,' U.S. Navy torpedoes use conventional propulsion systems due to the impracticality of such a silent system.
Step-by-step explanation:
Capabilities of U.S. Navy Torpedoes
The U.S. Navy's torpedoes are equipped with sophisticated active and passive capabilities to track and engage targets effectively. Active capabilities generally refer to the use of a torpedo's own sensors and systems to detect and home in on a target, usually by emitting a sound wave and listening for its echo—similar to sonar. Passive capabilities, on the other hand, entail the torpedo quietly listening for the sound signatures of vessels without emitting any sound waves itself, making it harder for the enemy to detect the incoming weapon.
While the U.S. Navy's torpedoes are highly advanced, the hypothetical magnetohydrodynamic drive described in Tom Clancy's "The Hunt for Red October," represents a silent propulsion system that the U.S. Navy does not actually possess. In reality, such a system has practical limitations, including excessive noise due to electrolysis, the detectable trail it leaves, and its corrosive effect on metal. Therefore, despite the allure of fiction, the U.S. Navy continues to rely on more conventional propulsion systems for its submarines and torpedoes.