OTOMAT

The 'Otomat/Teseo' is an Italian built anti-ship and coastal attack missile first built by the Italian company Oto Melara jointly with Matra and now European made by MBDA.
The name comes, for the first version, from the name of the two builders ('OTO' Melara 'MAT'ra) and, for the last versions, from the Italian word for Theseus.

Contents

Origins

Brief description of the missile

The OTOMAT typical mission

Flight

Mid-course datalink

Developments

Tests made and future

Operators and platforms

References

Origins

This missile born with a first program of development started in 1967, when the world was taken of surprise by the sinking of Eilat, by the impact of three new anti-ship missiles SS-N 2 Styx, fired by two Komar gunships. This happened in october, and not in June during the Six day war, as often reported. In every case, it's not known if the contract for the OTOMAT was made before the Eilat sinking, but the year was the same, when many navies discovered how dangerous were the anti-ship weapons like Styx, already operative by nine years.
While Aerospatiale developed the indigenous Exocet, basing it on a German design, that was finalized also with Kormoran, Oto-Melara started a cooperation with Matra, the other big missile builder of French industry. The request was for this missile was made in 1967, and the full development in 1969. Already in these early phases Matra was involved, and both MMI and MN were interested on this new weapon, different respect Exocet for a more capable and costly turbine-jet instead of a full rocket engine system. The trials started in 1971 with experimental launches, but the following years there was quickly an experimental series of missiles, with a score over a naval target in 28 February 1972. The missile was almost ready for the production and the development was officially ended in 1974.
But at this time MN choised the Exocet, full 'autarchic' missile, but also much more limited as range than the OTOMAT, paritetic program franco-italian. At that point MMI was the launch costumer for that missile and on January 1976 the first was accepted in service, even before the first Lupo frigate.
These early OTOMATs were not so sophisticated and capable, in fact missed the system of data-link that allowed over-the horizon precise engagements. This led to a new system, called 'OTOMAT Mk 2'. This was needed because without mid-course correction, the engagement of a moving ship was practically impossible over 60km (the rated maximum pratical range), so Otomat was only slight better than Exocet.
The new system was developed from may 1973, wit the first launch in January 1974 and the end of development in 1976. The first over horizon launch was made in 1978. few years lather, a modernized version born: the OTOMAT Mk 2 block 2, with foldable wings, so the launch boxes began much smaller and this was a noticeable difference and improvement, because, just like happened to Exocet with MM.40s, this allowed to double the number of missiles for each launch system and so, sent from 4 to eight the typical dotation. Even with this improvement OTOMAT were still bulkier than Harpoon and MM.40 missiles, because the complex shape of this weapon, that had a greater diameter and the booster in the flanks and not in the rear, as happened to Harpoon. But this missiles was small enough to not compromise too heavy the ships that used it.

Brief description of the missile

This is an anti-ship long range missile, capable to reach around 180 km at a medium speed of around 1,000-1,100km/h. It is launched by a 1,610kg glass fibre box, sloped of 15 degrees, and can be revectored up to over 200° in direction. This weapon flies up to 200 m before the jet starts, then descend to 20 m. Capable to receive mid-course data with a data-link, strikes with a 180 m dive or directly sea-skimming to 2 m and striking with a 210kg warhead, capable to pierce up to 80mm steel, and explode inside the ship especially to the bottom.
The technical data are 4,46m length, 40cm diameter, 1,35 wingspan, 770 kg launch weight. The fuel tank is 90 l. in mid-fuselage, behind there is the engine TR-281 ARBIZON III, 400 kg/t, turbo-jet. The ROXEL booster are two, 75 kg each, capables to give 6 t for four seconds. Warhead is in the front, behind the radar section and forward the radio-altimeter and some other electronic systems. The HE in the semi-armour piercing structure is 65 kg Hertol type (as example, Kormoran missiles have 165 kg warhead, 56 of this is HE plus 16 radial charges to explode inside the ship after the main charge, and the armour piercing is still around 7-8cm). The flight control are four sweel main wings, foldables, and four tail control winglets. Structure is made in light alloys, mainly aluminium.
The data-links are included in the TESEO or ERATO control systems. ERATO has computerized consoles CLIO, the TESEO has MM/OJ-791 consoles, weighting 570 kg and with 4Kw electric needing. The single elements of this data-link (PRT400) system are PTR402 for missile (receiver) and PRT401 (for the ship) or PTR403 (for helicopters). Other systems fittable are PRT404 for light ships and PRT405 for helicopters.
Strengths of this missile are long range, speed, sea-skimming capabilities and a powerful warhead.
Weakness are the need for a helicopter and a quite difficult rendez-vous in the TESEO system (at least in the original model), the bigger dimensions (more RCS and heat), the lack of complex manoeuvres in the most part of these weapons (as the synchronized attacks, re-attacks capabilities, ECCMs perhaps not excellent and never publicized) and the availability of surface versions only, because no submarine and aircraft missiles are utilized. This led to problems to all the forces that needed more platforms. Italian airforces to use Marte missile (helicopters), Kormoran (Tornados), Harpoons (not confirmed for submarines). Given the necessity to buy other missile systems, totally different, many costumer simply buyed a 'family missile systems' as Harpoon and Exocet with obvious operative and economic advantages.

The OTOMAT typical mission

As technology and operativity of these missiles, even if not so well known by the public because not involved in any war, this was, in the Mk 2 version, a very powerful missile, theoretically the most powerful of all the western anti-ship missiles until the version of BGM-109, that still lacked mid course data link.
The engine is a Turbomeca TR.281 Arbizon III, a jet with 400 kg/t. and so, around 50% more powerful of the Harpoon's one, the Willis turbojet that has 272kg/t. This latter engine is apparently used also on the bigger BGM-109 so this has lower speed (around 800 km/h than 1000).
This power available has sent the opportunity to fit in the bulky fuselage an high fuel reserve, an heavy warhead and a data-link to receive update, at least one time when in flight to the target.
In a typical layout, there are 4-8 fiber-glass boxes, with the missile inside, held by a rail in the roof. The overall weight is 1,610 kg.

Flight

The boosters made by ROXEL are positioned in the flanks and gave to the missile enough speed to allow the turbojet to start, while the wings are opening, then the missile reach around in 4 seconds 250 m/s speed and 200 m height, stabilize his flight and after descend to 20 m. No particular manoeuvres are requested for the ship: the missiles are capable to change the trajectory, after the launch even of 200-200° so all the missiles in the ship could be used against the same target in one attack. At this time the auto-pilot and the altimeter make possible hold the right directions to the target. The missile flies at around 1,000km/h controlled with the four cross winglets in the aft, behind the main fixed wings to sustain the weapon.
The mid-course update is possible with several systems. This weapon is called TESEO (as overall system, not only the missile itself)in MMI, and the mid-course is given with two channels: by the ship itself (TG-1) and with external sources, practically an specialized AB-212ASW that uses TG-2.
While the missiles flys it receive the imput, then, at only 6 km to the target 'open the eye' activing the radar. This is one of the two models: the simpler ST-2 made by SMA (Italian missiles) and the more complex and ambitious CSF 'Col vert', for French made missiles (only for export, since MN had not adopted them). This is a big difference, because the first is a one axis, two dimensional radar system: the weapon simply continues to fly to the ship, continuing to down the altitude from 20 to, in good sea conditions, 2-3m. The warhead is heavy, 210 kg (Exocet 165, Harpoon 227) and focalized to explode mainly down, to open a hole under the sea level in the hull. The Col Vert is meant to perform a rapid change vertical, to reach 180 m at around 2 km from the target and then dive on the ship, aiming to the decks and so, trying to taken out of service rather than sinking it.
This system seems to have had problems in service, with jamming made by sea waves, but it's a tridimensional, 2 axis radar systems that allow to make the OTOMAT missile able to change altitude and speed continuously, ruins the fire solution that modern CIWS are usually able to give to shot down the missile, regardless to the low altitude it flys. A similar system was also in the early Harpoons, but lather was changed with a conventional sea skimming attack, not know why. Perhaps lower reliability or higher cost were less attractive and this manoeuvre was capable to pierce the air defences but compensed by a minor precision, plus the lack of a second chance to hit something, because the final dive is not a manoeuvre from which the missile can recover, while with the sea skimming attack it has other possibilities, once missing the target, to acquire another or even return and re-attack the original.

Mid-course datalink

In every case, the mid-course update was originally made with two different systems. The TESEO, used by Marina Militare (MMI or MM) is able to give update with the missile that must fly below the helicopter, so it is launched directly under this. This elonged the trajectory and only one target at once can be engaged, but the missiles flies alwasy at low levels.
The ERATO, used by Madina frigates, is an acronym of Extended Range Air Targeting for Otomat, and it's the French version of this concept. In this case the missile is launched and then controlled only by ship, that has data from an external source as an helicopter. So the update operator is always the ships and no need of a expecialized helicopter or aircraft to communicate directly with missiles. This implies for the missiles the necessity to climb to 900 m to receive these data and then descend to 15 as usual cruise. But even if could ruin the surprise of the low level attacks, it allows to control up to 16 missiles to six different targets, even exceeding the necessities (a ship with OTOMAT did not has more than 8) of the launch platform, and this means also, the possibility to command other missiles fired by other ships with only one command.
In every case, the AB-212 radar is not able to see a medium ship, even without ECM involved, over 50-60 km and so, the presence of this helicopter is easily spotted by an aware warship bot with radar and ESMs, and the necessity for the missiles to fly under the helicopter implies that this latter should not escape nor be downed in the minutes in which the missiles are in flight.
If the naval ship has naval defences as Standard SM-2 missiles this could be dangerous, and even worse, the AB-212ASW is slow and vulnerable, while almost all the major warships have better and more agile machines like Lynx, Dauphins and Seahakws that could 'interfere' with their machine guns with the mission of some slow and bulky helicopter that is searching their ships (AB-212ASW max. speed: 196 km/h, the other naval helicopters are rated 250-300 km/h and all have four or five blades propeller, that brings more agility than the classical two-blade of the model 212). Also enemy fighters are a problem as well, because over the sea an helicopter is really without any couverture, and the time to reach distances comparable to the extreme range of OTOMAT is around one hour, enough to send interceptors from over 1,000 km away. Data link jammers and anti-radar counter-measures are as well a problem with the mid-flight update for OTOMAT.

Developments

After the first two generations of OTOMAT, other versions were developed: originally it was thinked the 'OTOMACH' missile, capable to fly at 1,8 mach, but this was dropped with the conclusion that a stealth subsonic missiles will been less easy to spot. The 1992 saw 19 US millions fielded from Italian govern to the develop of the new NGASM (New-Generation Anti-Ship Missile), that will bring to the 'OTOMAT Mk3'. So french MN, still interested in this supersonic project leaved his intererst and concentrated on the ANS/ANNG/ANF, derived from the formidable ram-jet ASMP strategic missile. But this program for many reasons was too costly and difficult and so, the hope to equal weapons like the soviet AS-17 and SS-N 22 was leaved. Finally, France adopted Exocet Block 3, with the same engine of OTOMAT (but still a lighter warhead) accepting this simple and long range solution that MM had substantially followed since the beginnings.
The development of this new system was called also 'ULISSE'. It had a new generation project all around. Being a 20 years further than the original OTOMAT, it had total new features: IR and radar sensors in the nose, coastal attacks capabilities, GPS guide and mid-course of new concept, nose and wings reprojected to allow stealth capabilities. It had also 250-300 km of range and the same dimensions of the previous OTOMATs. Also the warhead was still 210 kg, with a structure reinforced and less susceptible explosives, lowering the possibilities of detonation by CIWS ammunitions. Some subsystems were developed as the IIR sensor, that it seems had excellent capabilities and 3 OTOMATS were launched with IIR and new data-link in 1994-95. The air launched version was this time finally considered, and so this missile was planned also for several types of aircraft. This missile system will been an almost ideal anti-ship missile, flexible and long-ranged for every surface target and almost every launch platform. US Navy showed high interest ont this missile for many years.
But in 1999 US Navy retired by the program and the developement cost for this ambitious weapon was too much for MMI. This missile should had been the intermediate between SLAM/Harponn and BGM-109, but finally US Navy choiced the Harpoon Block II.
The latter version is the 'OTOMAT Block IV', that is also called TESEO Mk2/A. It had a new data link sistem, GPS, programmable flight with complex paths. 38 missiles were ordered by MM, with 27 operative and 11 training versions. The service will be for 2008.
Another version is the 'MILAS' missile, a vector system capable to deliver one torpedo ASW like A.290 or A.244. Started the program in 1986 as franco-italian program (but the idea was considered already in 1982, thanks to the bulky airframe), soon there was a launch, in 1989, in 1993 there were another ten launches with torpedoes on board. In 1999 the tests ended but France was not interested any more, paradoxally seen that was France to propose to Italy this solution. So the old MALAFON will had not successors, while Italy, that had never such missiles in service (except some ASROC in some cruisers) had this missile in service from 2002, after almost 20 years of development. This missile is capable to reach 55km and deliver an ASW torpedoes there, only three minutes are requested to reach 35 km and there is the possibility to update the weapon. The operational is all weather 24 hours. Few of them are in service, essentially if not only in the two De la Penne destroyers.
The other only version is the land-based system, bought by Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and even ordered at one time from Irak. It has trailers with all the electronics and the missiles launchers and is highly mobile as usual for this coast-defence systems, but Irak had planned also armoured fixed sites.

Tests made and future

As the combat operation there were not known, but there were many tests, like the one happened in 1987, when a Venezuelan Lupo frigate hitten at 122 km an old destroyed used as target, leaving a 6m crater. Apart this, there were at least 8 missiles bought by US Navy: thanks to a new evasive, final manoeuvre, the most part of these weapons, called LRAT (Long Range Attack Target) penetrated inside the formidable weapon shields of US ships.
In all by all, this missile was and is a very powerful weapon. Given the not necessary true presence of helicopters for the mid-course (especially if there are fighters all around), this weapon is capable to strike well over the horizon. A range of 50km can be covered with the ship's sensors and the missiles like MM.38 exocet are in their reign. 50-120 km are the field of weapons like Harpoon, that have over the horizon capabilities but not data-link update, so if the ship is moving, changing also the direction, there are few possibilities to lock it after several minutes by the launch. Finally, over 120 km are needed long range weapons, external platforms, but also data link update. This is the typical capability of the OTOMAT and long range soviet missiles. In short range engagements, the OTOMAT had not advantages, since is bigger than other missiles and hypothetically more easy to shot down.
The possibilities of commercial success are not too many since this weapon is related mainly with italian warships, now not so buyed as happened in recent years. The management of both the missiles-Exocet and OTOMAT are now under the MBDA company control, so starting as concorrents they are actually still in competition but in the same 'house', giving a real problem for the less famous and known of this two, the OTOMAT, commercially less liked.

Operators and platforms

The classes in wich this missile was installed are: Lupo (8), Madina (8), Vittorio Veneto (4), Sparviero (2), Maestrale (4), Artigliere (8), Audace (8), De la Penne (8), Garibaldi (8), Ramadam (4), Fincantieri corvettes of several subclasses for Lybia (4), Marocco, Irak, Malaysia (6). At mid-90s there was a production of over 900 missiles (compared to 2,000 Exocets, 6,000 Harpoons). Coastal versions were for Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

★ (Marina Militare, Otomat, Otomat Mk2, Teseo Mk2/A )

★ (Navy of Peru, Otomat Mk2)

★ (Bolivarian Armada of Venezuela, Otomat Mk2)

★ (Egyptian Navy, Otomat, Otomat Mk2)

★ (Royal Malaysian Navy, Otomat Mk2)

References

Lanzara, Leonardo ''Il missile antinave OTOMAT/Teseo'', RID magazine n.2/2007 pagg 34-40.