The Italian navy has opted to carry Leonardo’s Black Shark Advanced torpedo on its U212A class submarines, the Leonardo company announced on Wednesday.

According to the company, Leonardo will supply Black Shark Advanced (BSA) torpedoes and associated logistic support services to equip the Italian Navy’s U212A 2nd Series submarines. The new equipment will significantly increase the Anti-Submarine Warfare capability of the Navy.

The Black Shark Advanced is an evolution of the Black Shark heavy torpedo, already acquired by many countries including Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Portugal and Singapore.

This latest version integrates an innovative energy production section that can be optimised, according to the use of the system, for training or operational purposes. When the BSA is used for training activities, a newly developed rechargeable battery is used that allows a higher number of launches – up to one hundred – compared to that of previous versions, providing significant cost savings.

In the operational configuration, the BSA is equipped with an innovative battery that ensures an increase in capabilities and performance. The new solution also delivers a significant reduction in life cycle costs.