Leonardo press release
Leonardo’s LIONFISH Top defence systems will come onboard the German Navy’s F126 new frigates. The turrets will strengthen the defence capabilities of the four frigates, with the addition of two optional units, complementing the company’s OTO 127/64 Lightweight (LW) Vulcano naval guns, which recently have been selected for the same class frigates. In addition, the new agreement includes the supply of simulators for crew training, maintenance activities, and logistic support.
The LIONFISH Top is one of the 12.7mm versions of the LIONFISH family of remote-controlled naval turrets, which includes a 20mm model, designed and developed in-house by Leonardo. The “Top” version stands out for a high level of stealth architecture, as well as a low weight not exceeding 300 kg accompanied by a large number of ready-to-fire rounds.
Efficacy and accuracy even at great distances are guaranteed by the use of an uncooled, or optionally cooled (selected for F126), infrared sensor which is integrated into Leonardo’s Mini Colibrì optics system, common to the whole family. LIONFISH Top is able to autonomously calculate the firing solution and engage fast-moving, maneuvering, and extremely close threats, even when installed on high-speed platforms, thanks to a high-performance auto-tracking system.
Leonardo has conceived these tailor-made technologies capable of dealing with any type of threats, including uncrewed systems, and a broad set of applications, like border control, maritime traffic interdiction, law enforcement, and self-protection. Modularity, low weight and common architecture are the main features of the whole family, which allow it to be installed and easily used on board any platform, without the need to modify the deck, both as a primary and secondary defence system.
This is just one of the latest achievements of the LIONFISH family, which just two years after its launch has conquered the market; all versions of the family have already been contracted by several navies worldwide.
About Leonardo LIONFISH 12.7 mm TOP gun system
The LIONFISH 12.7 Top is a remotely-controlled stealth small caliber naval gun system, conceived to meet the most demanding requirements of the ASymetric Warfare (ASyW) due to its large magazine. It is used by law and military enforcement, as primary or secondary armament,
in different operative scenarios such as border control, maritime traffic interdiction and self-protection, even in case of threats surrounding the ship (for example in hijacking attempts) thanks to its elevate downwards aiming limit and dynamic performances.
The LIONFISH 12.7 Top is fitted with a 12.7 mm machine gun feed by a 100 ready-to-fire rounds magazine, compatible with a wide variety of 12.7 x 99 NATO standard ammunitions such as AP, API, APT, APIT, M33 ball.
The aiming system is fully stabilized in elevation and azimuth by means of powerful servo-systems in closed loop with both two independent gyros and two tachometers for redundancy. The LIONFISH 12.7 Inner Reloading is remotely controlled through its own Local Remote Control Console and it is able to autonomously determine the stabilized firing coordinates by performing ballistic and target trajectory calculations.
All the components are fully protected by a stealth shield to minimize the RCS and allow the operation in the most severe environments, in addition a de-icing system can be supplied as option. The LIONFISH 12.7 Top is remotely controlled through its own Local Control Console and it is able to autonomously determine the stabilized firing coordinates by performing ballistic and target trajectory
calculations.
The Electro-Optical Director is constituted of a highly accurate sensors suite (with an automatic tracking functionality) constituted of a daylight camera, an IR camera and a LASER Range Finder. The LIONFISH 12.7 Top is equipped with handles in the external rear part of the cradle for manual conduction and firing of the gun in case of emergency.
KEY FEATURES
- Effective against any asymmetric surface threats,
helicopters and drones; - lightweight and compact dimensions;
- fully stabilized on two independent axes providing great
accuracy; - high dynamic performances;
- the capability of reloading from below deck in safe conditions;
- stealth design;
- high reliability and ease of maintenance;
- innovative user-friendly Local Control Console;
- no deck penetration;
- logistic commonality inside the LIONFISH® family;
- emergency manual control.
