A244-S

A244-S Torpedo
Type	Lightweight torpedo
Place of origin	Italy
Service history
In service	1982
Production history
Manufacturer	WASS
Specifications
Weight	254 kg
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
Filling	high explosive STANAG 4439 and MURAT-2 compliant
Filling weight	Classified
Detonation mechanism	various

The A244-s is a 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.

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

Map with A244-S operators in blue

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]}
•  Colombian National Navy - 50
•  Ecuadorian Navy - 72
•  Hellenic Navy - 24
•  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 Armada of Venezuela - 150

Bibliography

• Funnell, Clifford (ed.) (February 2007). Jane's Underwater Warfare Systems, 2007-2008 (19th ed.). Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0-7106-2815-3.
• Friedman, Norman (February 2006). The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapon Systems (5th ed.). Naval Institute Press. ISBN 9781557502629.

Footnotes

1. 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.

References

1. The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapon Systems, pag.728

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