Oto Melara DART/STRALES 76mm guided ammunition successfully tested

: Posted On Wednesday, 23 April 2014 14:03

Naval Defense News - Italy

Oto Melara DART/STRALES 76mm guided ammunition successfully tested

The first lot of DART/STRALES 76mm guided ammunition, produced by OTO Melara, was successfully tested at the end of March. The firing trials were conducted on board one of the Italian Navy’s ships equipped with Strales 76mm SR and Selex NA25 fire control system.

The firing trials were conducted with quick bursts of fire against fast, manoeuvring and non-manoeuvring, radio controlled targets at low and very low altitude and at a range of more than 5000 metres.

Oto Melara 76mm Strales system
(Picture: Oto Melara)

The customers who attended the firing trials, which included the cooperation of other Navy’s air-sea craft, were fully satisfied with the trials’results which confirm the quality, reliability and effectiveness of this revolutionary defence system.

The company’s top management commented on the videos saying that they are a clear evidence of the system’s effectiveness.

The Strales 76mm system with DART guided ammunition is the only weapon system in the world which can ensure high level performance (at a lower cost than dedicated anti-missile systems) in the engagement of manouevring supersonic missiles with high lateral g force. The system is very effective also in the engagement of fast manouevring little boats.

Oto Melara 76mm Strales Naval Gun System
(Video: Oto Melara)

The DART projectiles are guided by a radio beam that follows the target by means of homing system. The projectile is fitted with a proximity fuze, but there were many hits during the firing trials.

The 76mm naval gun with Strales kit has the same characteristics of ballistic ammunition when it is used to engage air, naval and surface targets; with Vulcano ammunition it will ensure high precision target engagement, with a fire range two times higher than conventional ammunition.
The Strales system can be installed on the 76mm naval guns which are already in service.

OTO Melara is planning the production of Strales kits and new ammunition lots to guarantee quick delivery to new customers who will ask for this innovative system.

At present 12 Strales 76mm systems are in service, 15 are going to be delivered, and orders for 30 systems are foreseen in the next 5 years.