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The A244-s is an Italian lightweight, fire-and-forget torpedo employed for anti-submarine warfare. It can be launched from surface vessels or aircraft and locates the target using an acoustic seeker.
| A244-S Torpedo | |
|---|---|
 Indonesian Navy frigate KRI Raden Eddy Martadinata during torpedo firing exercise with WASS A244-S Mod.3 lightweight torpedo (training head). | |
| Type | Lightweight torpedo |
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1982 |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | WASS |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 254 kg (560 lb) |
| Length | 2.75 m (9.0 ft) |
| Diameter | 324 mm (12.8 in) |
| Effective firing range | 13.5 km (7.3 nmi) |
| Maximum firing range | 6 km for Mod. 1, 13.5 km for Mod. 3 |
| Warhead | high explosive STANAG 4439 and MURAT-2 compliant |
| Warhead weight | 45 kg (99 lb) |
Detonation mechanism | various |
| Engine | contra-rotating direct-drive brushless electric motor |
| Propellant | AgCl-Mg battery |
| Maximum depth | 600 m |
| Maximum speed | 30/39 kn [16/20 m/s] |
Guidance system | active / passive acoustic homing |
Steering system | CIACIO-S seeker |
Launch platform | Vessel / aircraft / helicopter |
Description edit
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The torpedo uses a CIACIO-S seeker, consisting of an acoustic homing head containing the transducer assembly, transmitter, and related Beamforming circuits, and a frame housing all the remaining electronic components. The homing head is capable of active, passive, or mixed modes for closing onto its target. It can also discriminate between decoys and real targets in the presence of heavy reverberations especially emitted pulses and signal processing.
The latest version is the A244-S mod.3 torpedo.
The A244/s are developed and manufactured by the Italian WASS (Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquei) firm.
Operators edit
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Current operators edit
Algerian National Navy - 25 ordered in 2011
Argentine Navy - 540 [1]
Bangladesh Navy
People's Liberation Army Navy - 50 (ET52 torpedo) [n 1]
Chilean Navy - 781
Ecuadorian Navy - 72
Indian Navy - 450 (NST58 torpedo, another derivative)
Indonesian Navy - 88
Islamic Republic of Iran Navy - 12
Libyan Navy - 12
Royal Malaysian Navy - 75
Nigerian Navy - 18
Pakistan Navy - 12
Peruvian Navy - 72
Polish Navy - 6 (for familiarization before delivery of MU-90)
Republic of Singapore Navy - 250 Mod.1; 100 Mod.3
Swedish Navy - 80
Republic of China Navy - 120
Turkish Navy - 50
Ukrainian Navy - ordered in 2010 for Project-58250 frigates
United Arab Emirates Navy - 50 Mod.1 ordered April 1997 for 29.5 million dollars; 24 + 25 ordered in 2005 for 12 million Euros
Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela - 150
Future operators edit
- Bulgarian Navy: In October 2022 Bulgarian government decided the purchase A244-S for the two future patrol ships of Bulgarian navy. Bulgarian Navy will receive 24 A244-S mod.3 torpedoes and supporting equipment for the price of 39.3 mln euros. The torpedoes also will be used from Bulgarian navy Eurocopter AS565 Panther helicopters. The first ship is under construction and will be commissioned in 2025.
See also edit
- APR-3E torpedo - Russian equivalent
- K745 Chung Sang Eo - South Korean equivalent
- Mark 54 Lightweight Torpedo - US Navy's equivalent
- MU90 Impact - French/Italian equivalent
- Sting Ray (torpedo) - British equivalent
- TAL Shyena - Indian equivalent
- Type 97 light weight torpedo (G-RX4) - Japanese equivalent
- Yu-7 torpedo - Chinese equivalent
Bibliography edit
- Funnell, Clifford, ed. (February 2007). Jane's Underwater Warfare Systems, 2007-2008 (19th ed.). Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-7106-2815-2.
- Friedman, Norman (February 2006). The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapon Systems (5th ed.). Naval Institute Press. ISBN 9781557502629.
Footnotes edit
- ^ The ET52 is the Chinese development of the Italian Alenia A244-S light ASW acoustic homing torpedo and is considered by many domestic Chinese sources as the equivalent of the A244-S Mod.2 version. ET52 is essentially the A244-S torpedo with technologies of US Mk 46 Mod.2 torpedo incorporated.