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Surface Vessel Weapon System MBDA Marte Missile Sea Killer / Marte MK2/S - Marte MK2/A - Marte MK2/N - Marte ER anti-ship missile family |
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| 03/25 |
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Sea Killer/Marte is an Italian anti-ship missile family. The latest
development of the system is known as Marte. Marte is a sea
skimming, subsonic, anti-ship missile, it carries a 70 kilograms
(150 lb) semi-armour piercing warhead. It has been built in several
versions, with differing guidance systems, and is suitable for
launching from ships or aircraft. Development and design: Contraves Italiana, an Italian subsidiary of the Swiss armaments company Oerlikon Contraves, began development of a short-ranged - 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) - ship-based anti-ship missile system, named Nettuno in 1963. Guidance of Nettuno was by beam riding for course control, with altitude controlled automatically by an onboard radar altimeter, allowing the missile to carry out sea-skimming attacks. Command guidance was an alternative guidance method if jamming made the beam-riding method unusable. In 1965, Contraves Italiana began work on an improved missile, Vulcano, which used the same guidance system, but included a two-stage (booster + sustainer) rocket motor to give a longer (25 kilometres (16 mi)) range. Both missiles could be fired from a five-round trainable launcher. Testing of Nettuno began in 1966, with a trial installation being made on the Freccia-class patrol boat Saetta of the Italian navy, with the five-round launcher replacing a Bofors 40 mm gun. Testing of Vulcano began in 1969. In 1967, the Italian company Sistel (Sistemi Elettronici) was set up as a joint venture by five Italian companies, including Contraves Italiana, and the missile division of Contraves Italiana was transferred to Sistel, along with the Nettuno and Vulcano missiles in 1969. Nettuno and Vulcano were renamed Sea Killer Mark 1 and 2 respectively for export, and these names gradually replaced the older names. Sea Killer Mark 2 was purchased by Iran to arm its Saam class of four frigates, each of which was fitted with a single five-round launcher. No other sales of the ship-based version were made, but development of Sea Killer Mark 2 into an all-weather anti-ship missile to equip the Italian Navy's helicopters began in 1967, with the helicopter-based weapon system being named Marte. Marte entered service with the Italian Navy in 1977, with its Sikorsky SH-3 Sea Kings being fitted with two Sea Killer Mark 2 missiles. In 1983, a new version, Marte 2, was announced, with the beam-riding guidance replaced by an active radar homing seeker based on that used by the Otomat anti-ship missile. Testing of Marte 2 started in 1984, and the missile entered service with the Italian Navy in 1987. The Marte ER, an improvement on the missile family, replaced the rocket motor with Williams WJ-24-8G turbojet propulsion and added a new ISO-caliber cylinder cell, which made it shorter in length but extended its range to over 100 km (62 mi; 54 nmi). Fitting trials of the Marte-ER onto the NH90 helicopter, which can carry two missiles, occurred in June 2014; a larger anti-ship missile like the Exocet was rejected for integration as physically too long and heavy. In November 2015, a Eurofighter Typhoon was fit-tested for a fixed-wing version of the missile called the Marte-ERP, which does not feature folding fins and sheds the booster for a larger 120 kg (265 lb) warhead with penetrating and sector-blast properties; though smaller than other options like the Harpoon and RBS-15, a fighter like Eurofighter Typhoon can carry six Marte-ERPs (or four with fuel tanks) compared to two or three larger missiles. The Marte ER completed its final test firing in November 2021. Full-scale production began in late March 2022 and it then began deliveries to its launch customer, the Qatari Emiri Navy. Variants: Sea Killer Mark 1 Short-range beam riding ship-launched anti-ship missile. 10 km range, 35 kilograms (77 lb) warhead. Also designated Nettuno. Sea Killer Mark 2 Increased range beam-riding ship-launched anti-ship missile with improved two stage rocket. 25+ km range, 70 kilograms (150 lb) warhead. Also designated Vulcano. Marte Mark 1 Helicopter launched beam riding anti-ship missile, based on Sea Killer Mark 2. Marte Mark 2 Improved version of Marte, with active radar homing seeker in bulged nose. Marte MK2/S Marte MK2/S was designed to provide naval helicopters with an effective means of countering and neutralising a wide spectrum of surface maritime targets at within horizon ranges. Already integrated on NATO shipborne helicopters such as AW101 and NH90, Marte MK2/S is ideal for both littoral and open water operations where a fast reaction time plays a vital role. The weapon’s f ire control system allows a flexible planning of missile mission, including waypoint and seeker area management. "Short" version of Marte 2. Marte MK2/A Modified version of Marte 2 for launch from fixed wing aircraft, with booster rocket omitted. Marte MK2/N MARTE MK2/N is a direct derivative of the proven and in service MARTE MK2/S helicopter-launched anti-ship weapon system, both variants deploying the same MARTE MK2 missile. The MARTE MK2 missile, with an effective range in excess of 30 km, is a fire and forget, all weather sea skimming missile with inertial mid-course navigation through way points and active radar terminal homing. Ideal for use in littoral warfare and against late detected targets. Marte ER Marte ER represents the third generation of the Marte family of anti-ship missiles. The most significant difference between this latest evolution and its MK2 forerunner lies in the introduction of a turbo engine (Williams WR WJ-24-8G turbojet engine) in place of the rocket motor. This more than triples the missile’s range to more than 100 km with only a minimal addition to its weight. Single or quick sequence salvo firing is possible as are different launch modes (on track, on bearing, visual). Marte ER has been designed to be used on fast jets and the new generation, naval versions of the European AW101 and NH90 helicopters. Its design takes into consideration that the MK2/S has already been integrated and qualified on these helicopters, so this new addition to the Marte family will use the same mechanical, functional and electrical interfaces. To maintain commonality even further, the same logistics support (handling and maintenance) will apply. Only software changes will be required to the Store Management System in order to deal with the extended ranges now possible. With this same software, the helicopter will be able to deploy both Marte MK2/S and Marte ER. Marte ER will be integrated on the Eurofighter Typhoon. Similarly, the naval version of the Marte ER ammunition is designed to complement and improve the capabilities of the Marte MK2/N, allowing installation on the same type of platforms keeping very similar installation requirements, giving a significant firepower even on very small fast patrol boats, with minimal needs in terms of weight, space and required power supply. Marte Mobile Coastal Defence System (MCDS) Land based system for coastal defence. The system has the capability to launch both Marte MK2/N and/or Marte ER missile. The system needs midcourse guidance to use the maximum range of Marte ER. The standard system comprises the following elements: a Mobile Control Unit (MCU) with C2 consoles for system operation a Mobile Sensor Unit (MSU), with full sensor suite including radar up to four Marte Firing Units (MFU) capable of four missiles each optional Mobile Reloading Units (MRU) and Mobile Maintenance Units (MMU) Specifications: Manufacturer: MBDA Italia (earlier Sistel SpA) Length: Sea Killer/Marte: 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) Marte ER: 3.6 m (11 ft 10 in) Marte MK2/S, Marte MK2/N: 3.85 m (12 ft 8 in) Diameter: Sea Killer/Marte: 0.206 m (8.1 in) (body) Marte ER, Marte MK2/S, Marte MK2/N: 31.6 cm (12.4 in), max. Mass: Sea Killer/Marte: 300 kg (660 lb) Marte ER: 340 kg (750 lb) Marte MK2/S, Marte MK2/N: 310 kg (680 lb) Wingspan: 0.999 m (3 ft 3.3 in) Warhead: 70 kg (150 lb) Semi-armour piercing HE Detonation mechanism: Impact and proximity fuze Flight altitude: sea skimming Speed: Mach 0,8-0,9, max. Engine: Marte: Solid fuel rocket booster and sustainer Marte-ER: turbojet Williams WJ-24-8G WR Operational range: Sea Killer Mark 1: 10 km (6.2 mi) Sea Killer Mark 2: over 25 km (16 mi) Marte MK2/S, Marte MK2/N: > 30 km (19 mi) Marte ER: over 100 km (62 mi) Guidance system: Sea Killer, Marte 1: Beam riding Marte 2, Marte ER: Active radar homing Users: Italy, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, Romania (future) sources: MBDA, wikipedia |
| images |
 Marte ER  Marte ER on an NH90 NFH naval helicopter  Marte ER on an NH90 NFH naval helicopter  Marte ER test firing  Marte ER  six Marte ER on an Eurofighter Typhoon  six Marte ER on an Eurofighter Typhoon  Marte ER  Marte ER  Marte ER  Marte ER (fast combat jet version)  Marte ER (naval, helicopter or coastal defense version)  Marte ER  Marte MK2/N  Marte MK2/S  Marte MK2/S on an Italian Navy SH-90 NFH (NH90)  Marte Mobile Coastal Defence System (MCDS) test firing  Marte Mobile Coastal Defence System (MCDS)  |
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