MBDA receives production contract for Teseo MK2/E anti-ship missile

MBDA has signed a contract with Italy’s National Directorate of Naval Armaments for the production of the Teseo MK2/E anti-ship missile, which is currently under development for the Italian Navy.

The contract covers the supply of new-generation Teseo MK2/E anti-ship missiles, which will equip new naval vessels entering service with the Italian Navy. These include FREMM EVO-class frigates, Multi-Purpose Combat Ship/Pattugliatori Polivalenti d’Altura (PPA) vessels and the Italian Navy’s future DDX destroyers. The missile will also complement the previous MK2/A version, which is already in service on Italy’s FREMM- and Horizon-class frigates.

The Teseo MK2/E production contract follows a previous contract signed in 2021 for the development, integration and qualification of the missile. The Teseo MK2/E is an entirely new weapon system designed to meet the requirements of the Italian Navy. According to MBDA its active electronically scanned-array (AESA) seeker technology means the missile can counter both very-long-range naval and land targets, allows enhanced mission planning that includes in-flight missile control via a satellite datalink, and has a secondary deep strike capability.

Lorenzo Mariani, MBDA executive group director of sales and business development and managing director of MBDA in Italy, was quoted by the company as saying, “I am particularly proud of the signing of this contract, which confirms the success of a process led in full synergy with our navy. In addition, it is fully aligned with the roadmaps defined with the development contract. Starting the production of Teseo MK2/E demonstrates not only that the product is mature and fully compliant with the navy’s requirements, but also that it perfectly complements MBDA’s portfolio, adding a new benchmark capability in the anti-ship domain, to be offered to foreign markets as well.”

The Teseo MK2/E, MBDA noted, builds on decades of experience provided by the Teseo missile family (known worldwide under the name Otomat) and will lead to a substantial enhancement in Italy’s seaborne anti-ship capabilities.