Integrating advanced anti-ship missiles to strengthen Romania’s navy

Romania will undergo an intensive process of replacing Soviet-era weapons with modern NATO-standard equipment. One key issue is increasing operational capabilities in the Black Sea. We present the capabilities of Marte ER missiles.

Representatives from MBDA and IAR Brașov signed an agreement regarding integrating Marte ER anti-ship missiles with Airbus H215M helicopters, which are in service with the Romanian Navy. Thanks to the performance of Marte ER, the Romanian Navy will be able to combat surface units effectively, contributing to better protection of national interests.

Arnaud Rousset, MBDA's vice president for Europe, commented on the contract signing: "As the European leader in complex weapon systems, MBDA is the best suited to tackle the challenges faced in Europe by reinforcing European decisive defence capabilities. We are proud to contribute to the Romanian Armed Forces' strategic autonomy and we will continue to act as a trusted partner by offering a comprehensive portfolio adapted to their current and future needs."

The Marte ER missile is the latest generation of this family, based on the Marte MK2/N missile. These missiles weigh approximately 345 kilograms and are 3.6 meters long, and they are designed to engage targets at distances exceeding 100 kilometers.

Like most of its competitors, it is a missile travelling just above the water’s surface at high subsonic speeds (Mach 0.8-0.9). It is equipped with an inertial navigation system, satellite navigation, and an active radar seeker for precise guidance in the final phase of flight. The penetrating fragmentation warhead, weighing approximately 75 kilograms, destroys the target, eliminating smaller ships and damaging larger ones.