Italian Navy offshore patrol vessel Raimondo Montecuccoli has successfully fired an Aster 30 missile as part of testing new air defence capabilities.
The launch of the MBDA-developed projectile earlier this month, conducted as part of the force’s Exercise Missilex 26-1 serial, was the culmination of an operational testing campaign for its new SAAM ESD (Surface-to-Air Anti-Missile – Extended Self-Defence) missile system.
The air defence system is being installed on the Italian Navy’s new Thaon di Revel-class PPA Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Vessels, next-generation all-purpose warships designed to offer the force maximum flexibility in dealing with a range of different mission types.
Seven ships in the class have so far been completed and are in active service; they were built by Fincantieri at a programme cost of about €3.9 billion.
Two of these seven OPVs were sold and delivered to Indonesia, with their replacements for the Italian Navy ordered; construction of one of these two replacement OPVs is already underway.
As per an Italian Navy statement: “The SAAM ESD PPA system represents a significant technological leap in naval defense. It is designed to counter increasingly sophisticated and rapid air, missile, and unmanned aircraft threats.
“In a constantly evolving geopolitical context, characterized by the emergence of new military technologies and increasingly complex operational scenarios, these capabilities are essential to ensuring the safety of naval units and forces deployed at sea.”
MBDA is the prime contractor for the Aster 30 missile, assisted by Leonardo. The 4.9-metre missiles carry high-explosive fragmentation warheads and fly at Mach 4.5. They have a ceiling of about 20,000 metres and a range of up to 75 miles.
The projectiles have been developed to intercept and destroy a range of air threats including fighter jets, helicopters, and uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), as well as cruise and supersonic, sea-skimming anti-ship missiles.
- You can read more details on the Italian Navy website