Defense company MBDA has signed a contract with the 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.
As disclosed, the contract covers the supply of new generation TESEO MK2/E anti-ship missiles, which will equip new units of the Italian Navy.
This includes the FREMM EVO class frigates, the MPCS/PPA (Multi-Purpose Combat Ship/Pattugliatori Polivalenti d’Altura) and the new generation DDX destroyers. The missile will also complement the previous MK2/A version, which is already in service on the FREMM and Horizon class naval units.
The production contract follows the previous one 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, thanks to its active electronically scanned array (AESA) seeker technology, the new missile offers innovative performance.
For example, it can counter both very long-range naval and land targets, allows enhanced mission planning that includes in-flight missile control via a satellite data link, and has a secondary deep strike capability.
“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 ,” Lorenzo Mariani , MBDA Executive Group Director of Sales & Business Development, and Managing Director of MBDA in Italy, stated.