13:22 GMT, November 18, 2009 SELEX Galileo of Finmeccanica has been awarded a 26 million Euro contract for the supply of SM-1S radar seekers for a Middle East customer. The award comes as part of an MBDA contract for the provision of MARTE MK2/N anti ship missiles.

The MARTE was developed as a helicopter launched missile and is currently part of the base-line weapons on AW101 and NH90 fleets. The missile has been adapted for installation on naval vessels and under this contract will be launched from fast patrol vessels in an anti-ship mission.

SELEX Galileo’s SM-1S seekers are the latest generation of the Company’s Active RF anti-ship seeker family. Over 1000 units have been developed and produced, and these have gone on to perform successfully in more than 120 launch campaigns.

The current version of the SM-1S has been renewed using state of the art digital technologies, leveraging on 40 years of SELEX Galileo experience in the design and manufacturing of active Radar Homing seekers. The SM-1S integrates a new digital processor developed to enhance Italian Navy’s Air/Surface and Surface/Surface missile performance. This upgrade makes the SM-1S one of the best performing RF anti-ship seekers currently available.

The SM-1S seeker has been developed and produced at SELEX Galileo’s Campi Bisenzio site near Florence, with the support of the Company’s centre of excellence of Palermo. The Palermo facility manufactures the magnetron tubes used in the transmitter unit.

SELEX Galileo in the UK is the leading supplier of Electro Optic (EO) missile seekers and is the partner of choice for programmes such as the Javelin anti-tank weapon system and the Storm Shadow cruise missile. The company has capabilities in seeker technology research, development, production and in-service support.