MBDA has announced the successful test launch of its new Teseo MK2/E anti-ship missile system, conducted in partnership with the Italian Navy as part of a multi-year development programme.
This first firing of the evolved missile took place on 14 October, marking a milestone in enhancing the anti-ship capabilities of the Teseo missile family, also known internationally as OTOMAT, according to a press release.
The test aimed to validate critical new components in the Teseo MK2/E, particularly its updated airframe and propulsion systems. Preliminary wind tunnel tests had indicated promising results, which were confirmed during the live firing. These developments pave the way for final qualification of the missile’s design, with full validation expected to be completed next year.
The Teseo MK2/E introduces several advancements over previous models. Equipped with an Active Electronically Scanned Antenna (AESA) RF seeker, the system is capable of responding faster to threats and supports enhanced mission planning with the integration of a satellite data link. This combination, say the builders, enables the missile to engage both sea and land targets at significantly greater distances, adding a level of flexibility not seen in earlier systems. With this extended range, the missile aims to increase crew safety by enabling operations from a safer distance while offering the potential for deep-strike capabilities against fortified or mobile land targets.
The Teseo MK2/E was developed in close collaboration with the Italian Navy and will be integrated into several of its platforms, including the new PPA multi-purpose combat ships and upcoming DDX destroyers. In addition, MBDA plans to equip the missile system on the FREMM EVO frigates and offer it to international customers.
The collaboration with the Italian Navy on the AESA seeker also opens avenues for Italy’s involvement in the FC/ASW (Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon) programme alongside the UK and France.
In a statement included in the press release, Giovanni Soccodato, Executive Group Director of Sales and Business Development and Managing Director of MBDA Italia, commented on the successful test: “This first test of the Teseo MK2/E demonstrates the validity of the project, confirms our development roadmap, and presents a cutting-edge naval defence product capable of countering the most sophisticated threats. It also underlines once again how working in synergy with the customer brings results that perfectly meet their requirements.”
Soccodato further highlighted the strategic benefits of the missile’s advanced technology, noting its capacity to “allow our country to participate in the FC/ASW programme in collaboration with France and UK, contributing high added-value support and significant technological content.”
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Did anyone else read that as Tesco missle?
To me, it bought Tessio, the Godfather character, to mind and I wondered if there should be a Clemenza missile to go with it.
Me too, just waiting for Sainsbury’s to bring out their version, but knowing the UK we’ll end up with the Aldi version.
With very suspicious similar packaging.
The Lidl version would probably be better and cheaper?
Inventory levels would be iffy with poor availability at time…
Similar branding obvs.
If they were as good as Aldi Yorkshire Puddings in dripping I’d say you would be 100% correct sir.
Yes. Tesco range.
First model was 180km range missile first employed in Lupo 1978 frigates.
Btw it seems the FREMM EVO and PPA EVO – 2 will be bought to replace the 2 being sold to Indonesian Navy will have a specific anti drone AESA radar besides the dual band radars.. I found interesting that Italian Navy sees the need for that.
A S-band radar using lots of signal processing can detect very small drones. The caveat with that though, is that it uses up a large amount of your available signal processing resource time. Meaning you won’t have anything significant for other potential threats. I do have concerns for both the T26 and T31 due to the allocation of processing resources, as they will both only have one primary radar to do all the tasks. Having multiple radars doing specific tasks does help spread the signal processing resource load. For example the T45 using the S1850M for long range and volume… Read more »
From naval news
Th EVO will have C-band Kronos Quad and the same (4) number of antennas for the X-band Kronos StarFire. This will have ABM search capability for 600km range Ball. missiles and 1300km range Ball. missile tracking if handed over from other assets.
For anti drone Fincantieri OMEGA 360 or Leonardo Tactical Multi Mission Radar (TMMR).
Omega 360 is an interesting radar said to be a “ubiquitous radar”
EVO is shaping up to be a really nice ship.
I think Artisan 300 on the T26 is supposed to be able to track >1000 objects at once and communicate with a number of missiles in flight at the same time. Even if the Scanters and Sharpeyes are useless (and with the posibility of sensor fusion, I not 100% sure that’s true anymore), the EO/IR trackers should still come into play for gunnery and close range work. T26s are not AAW focused and are primarily doing self-protection. When they are in a group (CSG or LSG), we should have developed the capability to allow radars from any ship in the… Read more »
Mmme
Well you can feed the raw data to a number of different rows of blade servers and process each row differently….for a different desired optimal performance?
I doubt processing is a real barrier if GPU’s are utilised.
The issue is surely more with how the bean forming and steering works to track the individual targets? That is where I see the bottleneck being.
Every little helps. Aldi can build one a Lidl bit cheaper though!
And package it to look like the original, so they benefit from no product advertising requirements.
Aside from the lack of stealth, this seems like quite a good missile- roughly on par with the newer Harpoon and Exocet models. I did wonder if it might be a good fit for interim RN AShM before we got NSM. Will be interesting to see what they bring to FC/ASW with that seeker.
What I would like to get is the rocket-launched lightweight torpedo that the Italian navy use; much better range than ASROC, and makes way more sense than the torpedo tubes currently found on T23s.
That rocket is a good bit of kit for us. It is basically a specialist one use drone to drop a light ASW torpedo. The one it is designed around is slightly bigger than Stingray in every dimension so should be adaptable.
From what I understand their version of Asroc was only produced in tiny numbers and is all but decommissioned
I am not sure it is decommissioned but it was indeed in tiny numbers and not being build anymore albeit still being promoted in MBDA website. It uses the OTOMAT mk2 missile and MU90 torpedo
Yes, something I should have said but you noted it: I’d want it to launch Stingray!
The only thing is, I think it’s cannister-launched instead of VLS, but that’s not too much of a problem as far as I’m concerned.