[1] Design began in the 1960s when the NII-24 research institute was ordered to produce a new weapon capable of engaging nuclear submarines.

[4] Once accelerated, speed is maintained by an underwater ramjet fueled by hydroreactive metals using seawater as both reactant and the source of oxidizer; the torpedo travels at around 200 kn (370 km/h; 230 mph).

In 2012 the Russian government asked for a 75% ownership of the factory in exchange for writing off $180 million Kyrgyz debt to Russia.

Naval intelligence officer and an alleged Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) spy Edmond Pope (Captain, USN, retired) was held, tried, and convicted in Russia of espionage related to information he obtained about the Shkval weapon system.

Russian President Vladimir Putin pardoned Pope in December 2000 on humanitarian grounds because he had bone cancer.