MBDA has signed a production contract with Italy’s National Directorate of Naval Armaments to build the TESEO MK2/E anti-ship missile for the Italian Navy, according to the company.
The award transitions the programme from development into serial production, following a 2021 contract that covered design, integration and qualification work.
The production run will supply new-generation TESEO MK2/E missiles for multiple Italian surface combatants, including FREMM EVO frigates, the MPCS/PPA multi-role ships, and the planned DDX destroyers. MBDA said the missile will also operate alongside the existing MK2/A variant already fitted to FREMM and Horizon class vessels, according to the company.
MBDA describes TESEO MK2/E as a substantially redesigned weapon that uses an Active Electronically Scanned Array seeker and modern datalink functions to enable in-flight control. The company said these features allow the missile to engage very long range naval and land targets, and to be retasked in flight via satellite communications, giving the system a secondary deep strike role, according to the company.
The contract announcement framed the TESEO MK2/E as exportable technology. MBDA’s Lorenzo Mariani, Executive Group Director of Sales and Business Development and Managing Director of MBDA in Italy, was quoted in the press release describing the deal as a validation of the programme’s progress and industrial alignment with the Italian Navy.
“Starting the production of TESEO MK2/E demonstrates not only that the product is mature and fully compliant with the Navy’s requirements, but also that it perfectly complements MBDA’s portfolio, adding a new benchmark capability in the anti-ship domain, to be offered to foreign markets as well,” he said in the press release.
MBDA said the new missile builds on decades of experience with the TESEO family, historically marketed as OTOMAT, and that production will support Italy’s plans to fit next-generation surface ships with a modern anti-ship and land attack option, according to the company.
Well “every little helps”.
(Oh come on, It ain’t that difficult).
Remember when MBDA was suppose to be about consolidation of European missiles. MBDA has 5 anti ships missiles in production or under development