MBDA has secured a production contract from Italy’s National Directorate of Naval Armaments to supply the Italian Navy with the next-generation TESEO MK2/E anti-ship missiles.
This new contract follows an earlier agreement in 2021 for the development, integration, and qualification of the missile system.
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The TESEO MK2/E is presently under development and is set to be deployed across various naval platforms. These include the FREMM EVO-class frigates, Multi-Purpose Combat Ship/Pattugliatori Polivalenti d’Altura (MPCS/PPA), and the forthcoming DDX destroyers.
The missile system will serve alongside the existing MK2/A version, which is operational on FREMM and Horizon-class ships.
Designed to meet the specific requirements of the Italian Navy, the TESEO MK2/E is an evolution of its predecessor, the TESEO MK2/A.
The TESEO MK2/E missiles incorporate advanced technologies enabling dual-role capabilities for both maritime and land strike scenarios.
It offers the Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) seeker technology, which enhances “innovative performance”.
According to MBDA, the TESEO MK2/E missile features a dual-mode homing head section that includes both a new coherent RF-seeker with electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM) capabilities and an electro-optical (EO) sensor.
This allows for high precision engagement against sea and land targets. With a high subsonic cruise speed and manoeuvrability capable of high-G turns, the missile can effectively engage targets at ranges exceeding 350km while maintaining a sea-skimming trajectory.
Equipped with an autonomous integrated Inertial Navigation System/Global Positioning System (INS/GPS) and radio-altimeter, the missile can adapt its flight path for sea skimming or over-land flight.
The scalable semi-piercing/high explosive warhead ensures lethal impact upon reaching its target.
The TESEO MK2/E represents a significant advancement in long-range anti-ship capabilities, reducing reaction times to mere seconds while providing full control from mission preparation to target engagement.
This flexibility and readiness for adaptation make the missile suitable for international customers beyond the Italian Navy.
MBDA sales and business development executive group director and MBDA Italy managing director Lorenzo Mariani said: “I am particularly proud of the signing of this contract, which confirms the success of a process led in full synergy with our Navy.
“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”.
In August 2025, the Italian Navy received Emilio Bianchi (F 589), its tenth FREMM multi-mission frigate from Orizzonte Sistemi Navali.
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