TREXSA Espada
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| Areiva Espada | |
|---|---|
| Type | Anti-ship missile, anti-submarine missile, land attack missile |
| Place of origin |  Costa Mejis |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1999 - |
| Used by | Royal Mejian Armada |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | TREXSA |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | Espada: 1,300 kg Espada Block II and Espada-AS: 1780 kg Espada-LS: 2300 kg |
| Length | 8.22 m Espada-AT: 6.2 m Espada-AS 7.65 m |
| Diameter | 0.533 m |
| Warhead | Various anti-shipping or land attack munitions including high explosive, pre-fragmented blast fragmentation, and thermometric |
Operational range | Varies on variant, maximum range is 300 km |
| Speed | Varies on variant, maximum Mach 2.9 |
Guidance system | DNAV/INS, active radar homing |
Launch platform | Naval vessels, and submarines |
The TREXSA Espada is a multi-platform, multi-mission missile developed by Trabajos Explosivos S.A of Costa Mejis. It is designed for anti-ship, anti-submarine, and land attack missions and is capable of being fired from a variety of naval platforms, including submarines and surface vessels.
The missile is a modular system with several different variants: The missile is designed to share common parts between the surface and submarine-launched variants. But each missile consists of different components, for example, the booster. The missile can be launched from a surface ship using a Vertical Launched System (VLS). It has a booster with thrust vectoring capability. The missile launched from a submarine has no need for such an addition, but has a conventional booster instead.
Variants
- Espada: Submarine launched anti-shipping variant with a 200 kg (440 lb) warhead. The missile is 8.2 m (27 ft) and boasts a range of 220 km. It is a sea-skimming missile with a supersonic terminal speed of Mach 2.9, and a flight altitude of 4.6 meters (15 ft).
- Espada Block II: Submarine launched anti-shipping variant with a larger warhead (400 kg (880 lb) compared to the standard Espada. It has a longer range as well, at 300 km (190) miles. It achieves supersonic speeds during its terminal phase, reaching mach 2.9. Reportedly, it is capable of disabling or outright destroying any known aircraft carrier.
- Espada-LS: Submarine launched land attack variant. Travels at subsonic speeds (Mach 0.8) for its entire curse and features the largest warhead of the Espada family at 440 kg (990 lbs). It is a guided missile, utilizing INS/satellite navigation guidance, or laser designation. Range is 300 km. The surface launched version of the Espada-LS shares the same characteristics as the submarine launched version, except the overall length, which is 8.9 m and utilizes a thrust vectoring booster.
- Espada-AS: Submarine and surface launched anti-submarine missile. It consists of two stages, one solid booster with four grid fins and one anti-submarine light torpedo. It has the shortest range of the Espada family, at 50 km (31 mi) and can reach supersonic speeds, up to mach 2.9 and follows a ballistic path above the surface. The light torpedo it carries has a warhead weight of 76 kg (168 lb). The surface launched version of the Espada-AS consists of three stages, one booster with thrust vector nozzle, one conventional booster, and one anti-submarine light torpedo. It is longer than the submarine launched version, at 8.9 m, and has a slightly reduced range of 40 km (25 mi), as well as a reduced speed of mach 2. The torpedo is identical to the one contained in the submarine launched version.
- Espada-SLV: Surface launched anti-shipping version, fired from standard tube or VLS cells. Its basic length is 8.9 m, its warhead weight and other performance is the same as the standard Espada
- Espada-SSLV: Submarine launched version of the Espada-SLV. Expected to be utilized by the VLS systems designed for the Highland-class submarine.
- Espada-LSV: Vertical launch version of the Espada-LS. Expected to be utilized by the VLS systems designed for the Highland-class submarine.
- Espada-ASV: Version of the Espada-AS intended for vertical launch systems. Expected to be utilized by the VLS systems designed for the Highland-class submarine.
Land based variants
- Espada-R: The Espada-R is a land based missile system using modified versions of the the Espada-SLV antihip missile and the Espada-LS land attack missile. System includes the launching vehicle as well as active or passive target detection equipment. The Espada-R system is unique in that the launch system is contained within a standard maritime shipping container, railroad boxcar, or tractor trailer, affording the system camouflage from ground based, aerial and satellite reconnaissance.
Air launched variants
- Espada-A: Air-launched anti-ship variant. Two stages, terminal supersonic speed. Weight 1950 kg. Warhead 200 kg. Range 300 km.
- Espada-AL: Air-launched anti-ship variant. Subsonic.
- Espada-ALT: Air-launched land attack variant. Subsonic. INS+satellite guidance. Length 6.2 m. Weight 1400 kg. Warhead 450 kg. Range 300 km.