A244-S

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	Leonardo
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

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.

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 especially emitted pulses and signal processing.

The latest version is the A244-S mod.3 torpedo, manufactured by Leonardo.^[1]

Operators

Current operators

•  Algerian National Navy - 25 ordered in 2011
•  Argentine Navy - 540 ^[2]
•  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

 Bulgaria

• 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

• 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

• 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

References

External links

• Jane's Air-Launched Weapons: A.244/S lightweight torpedo
• A244/S Mod. 3, Eurotorp
• A244 Datasheet
• Deagel.com, specifications
• History & specifications, at Jane's website, retrieved 2009-03-08

This page was last edited on 22 May 2024, at 21:55