SAAM-IT- Sistema Anti-Air Missile-Italia
Surface-to-Air Missile System for the Italian Navy
The Italian Navy has chosen the FSAF System to ensure the self defence of the Italian Navy aircraft carrier "Cavour" in the similar way as France has done with the Charles de Gaulle carrier.
Like the other FSAF systems, SAAM-IT is based on Aster 15N (N for Navalised) missile, but integrates a new radar, EMPAR, designed and built by Alenia Marconi Systems (now Selex).
A replica SAAM IT system is installed at the Italian Naval Training Centre (Maricentadd) since 2003 and provides a reference for testing and qualification purposes.
Today, SAAM-IT phase 1, has been installed on board the Italian Navy trial ship "Carabiniere" based at La Spezia Naval Station.
EMPAR antenna has been mounted at the top of a mast placed at the rear of the ship.
Vertical launcher-Sylver- installation has been successfully carried out at La Spezia. The first qualification firings will take place at CEM French Mediteranean test range.
Another Fire Control System EMPAR-FSAF is under going trials at the Constructor Site of Pratica di Mare, at 50 km south of Rome.
This site will be used for retrofitting the SAAM-IT FCS from phase 1 to phase 2 standard. The upgrade consists in integrating new ECCM capabilities, a more powerful calculator in EMPAR , an evolution of AGIS (Command and Control system of SAAM-IT).
Pratica di Mare FCS will be the contractor site for testing PAAMS FCS Empar variant that shares the same Hardware components.