Torpedo Launching and Testing Station

The Rijeka’s torpedo launching and testing station is place where in 1866 the first torpedo Luppis-Whitehead was invented and tested.  Whitehead torpedo factory in Rijeka was the first torpedo factory on the world, and the Whitehead torpedoes became for almost half the century the standard navy weapon for all main Navyes. Rijeka’s torpedo factory produces in its active life almost 25.000 torpedoes, and more than 1000 torpedo launching tubes and 1500 high pressure compressors.  Before deliveries all torpedoes have been launched in the sea, they have been was thoroughly tested and adjusted before shipment. It can be said that launching and testing torpedoes in Rijeka was the real R&D (research and development) approach in modern technological and scientific sense.

Today’s torpedo launching station in Rijeka was built in 1935, it was reconstructed after 1945, not in use since 1966, when ceased production and testing of torpedoes in Rijeka’s torpedo factory. On same premise in 1870 was built the first wooden launching station,  few other types of launching station have been constructed later, among them the first for testing aerial torpedoes. The concept of systematically torpedo testing and use of launching stations spread all around world, and the similar testing facility has been built in many countries in Europe and around world.