| A244/S Torpedo | |
| Origin: | Italy |
| Type: | Lightweight ASW torpedo |
| Is Ranged: | y |
| Is Explosive: | y |
| Is Missile: | y |
| Service: | 1982 |
| Manufacturer: | Leonardo |
| Weight: | 254kg (560lb) |
| Length: | 2.75m (09.02feet) |
| Diameter: | 324mm |
| Range: | 13.5km (08.4miles) |
| Max Range: | 6 to 6.5 km for Mod 0 through Mod 2, 13.5 km for Mod 3 |
| Filling: | High explosive STANAG 4439 and MURAT-2 compliant |
| Filling Weight: | 45.4kg (100.1lb) |
| Detonation: | Impact and proximity |
| Engine: | Contra-rotating direct-drive brushless electric motor |
| Propellant: | AgCl-Mg battery |
| Depth: | 10 m to >600 m |
| Guidance: | Active/passive acoustic homing |
| Steering: | CIACIO-S seeker |
| Launch Platform: | Surface ships and aircraft |
The A244/S is an Italian lightweight, fire-and-forget torpedo employed for anti-submarine warfare. It can be launched from surface vessels or aircraft and locates the target using an acoustic seeker. The torpedo body conforms to the NATO 12.75-inch (323.8 mm) standard and is compatible with USN Mark 32 torpedo tubes.
The A244 was initially conceived in 1968 as a replacement for the USN Mark 44 Mod 2 and shares many design similarities with the older weapon. A244 entered service in 1971 although development continued through 1973, and mass production began in 1975. The weapon was superseded by A244/S which entered service in 1984. Whereas the A244 used a monotone (single frequency) seeker, the A244/S uses triple frequency pulses and a programmable seeker which can follow search patterns and perform standard maneuvers. Originally equipped with a Selenia Elsag AG70 seeker, work on CIACIO began in 1964, resulting in a 60 kHz CIACIO 60 seeker in 1966 and a 30 kHz CIACIO 30 seeker in 1968. The final version, CIACIO-S, originally appeared in 1972 with laboratory trials in 1973 and static sea trials in 1974, followed by live trials using Mark 44 torpedoes equipped with the new seeker in 1975. Shallow water trials were carried out in 1977-1978. A244/S Mod 1 was ready for delivery in 1987.[1] Mod 0 (intended for torpedo tube launch) and Mod 1 (intended for helicopter launch) had an endurance of at, a length of, and a unit mass of . Mod 2 (intended for fixed-wing aircraft launch) had a length of and an endurance of . All of the older versions used a lead-acid battery power source and carried a warhead.[2]
The present-day version is the A244/S Mod 3, manufactured by Leonardo.[3] The A244/S Mod 3 was announced in October 1998.[4] The Mod 3 was engineered by retrofitting the MU90 torpedo, particularly its guidance system. The power source was re-engineered to use a silver oxide battery. The Mod 3 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 seeker head contains 36 transducers in an 6x6 array, capable of generating eight acoustic beams. The homing head is capable of active, passive, and mixed modes for closing onto its target. It can also discriminate between decoys and real targets in the presence of heavy reverberations especially emitted pulses and signal processing. Signal processing is digital, utilizing FFT.[5]
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