Albatros / Aspide 2000 for Albatros

Naval surface-to-air missile system

The Albatros surface-to-air missile system adds to a ship’s gun FCS (Fire Control System) the capability to launch the Aspide 2000 missile by integrating it to a set of easy to install missile units.

This combination provides an integrated, all-weather air defence system for ships represented by an outer defence layer based on missiles and an inner layer based on the ship’s gun battery to create an effective protective envelope against incoming aircraft and anti-ship missiles. Aspide 2000 will provide close area defence for the launch ship as well as defence against air attack for consort ships.

After detection by the ship’s surveillance radar, the targets are assigned to the gun FCS which then acquires and tracks the target. The target is then illuminated by a CW RF transmission that is passed into the FCS tracking radar antenna to fulfil the semi-active guidance requirements of the Aspide 2000 missile.

One or two missiles can be simultaneously guided against the same target (even if it is flying in close formation) at the outer intercept range of 20km.
The engagement envelope of the Albatros system against a typical fighter aircraft covers an altitude of 8km altitude and 12km set-off range.
Within this envelope, the system provides for an SSKP (Single Shot Kill Probability) greater than 0.8 with a single missile and 0.96 with two missiles.

Programme Status

The Albatros system is in service in 14 countries worldwide on ships of different classes from OPVs to destroyers and aircraft carriers.

The Italian Navy has launched an upgrade programme of its existing Albatros system to allow it to use the Aspide 2000 missile. The upgrade kit is being proposed to current Albatros users in line with their ship modernisation programmes.