A244-S
The A244-s is an Italian lightweight, fire-and-forget torpedo employed for anti-submarine warfare. It can be launched from surface vessels or from aircraft, and locates the target by means of an acoustic seeker.
| A244-S Torpedo | |
|---|---|
 Royal Malaysian Navy A244-S torpedo and Super Lynx ASW helicopter on display | |
| 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 | Al-AgO 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
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 by specially 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
Current operators
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)
Islamic Republic of Iran Navy - 12
Libyan Navy - 12
Royal Malaysian Navy - 90
Nigerian Navy - 18
Pakistan Navy - 12.svg.png.webp)
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 Naval Forces - 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.svg.png.webp)
Bolivarian Armada of Venezuela - 150
See also
- APR-3E torpedo - Russian equivalent
- Mark 54 Lightweight Torpedo - US Navy's equivalent
- MU90 Impact - French/Italian equivalent
- Sting Ray (torpedo) - British equivalent
- TAL Shyena - Indian equivalent
- Yu-7 torpedo - Chinese equivalent
- K745 Chung Sang Eo - South Korean equivalent
Bibliography
- Funnell, Clifford (ed.) (February 2007). Jane's Underwater Warfare Systems, 2007-2008 (19th ed.). Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0-7106-2815-3.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
- Friedman, Norman (February 2006). The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapon Systems (5th ed.). Naval Institute Press. ISBN 9781557502629.
Footnotes
- 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 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.