Abstract: With the rapid development and application of precision guidance, control and super cavitation technology, the hit accuracy and speed of underwater weapons have been continuously improved, which puts forward new requirements for the efficient damage capability of underwater weapons. When underwater weapons attack a ship target, various damage elements such as explosion shock waves, shell fragments, bubble pulsation, bubble jets, and cavitation loads jointly cause damage to the ship target. In addition, the spatiotemporal cooperative operation of multiple underwater weapons will cause coupling damage to ship targets. Therefore, research on the coupling damage mechanism and mode of multiple weapons and multiple types of damage elements to ship targets is the key to improving the damage capability of underwater weapons. Based on this, differences between the damage element coupling damage modes of underwater contact explosion, short-range explosion and medium and long-distance explosion were compared and analyzed. From the aspects of theoretical research, simulation and experimental verification, etc., the research progress of the coupling damage mechanism of multiple types of damage elements, the coupling damage effect of typical ship structures, and the coupling damage effect of multiple projectiles based on space-time coordination was reviewed and summarized. On this basis, the research results of the underwater explosion coupling damage for ship targets at the present stage were summarized, and the research direction of the efficient damage of underwater weapons was discussed, to provide reference for research on efficient damage technology of underwater weapons.