# Senegal Navy executes historic anti-ship missile test

- Link: https://www.military.africa/2025/11/senegal-navy-executes-historic-anti-ship-missile-test/
- Published: 2025-11-21T17:02:17+01:00
- Author: Ekene Lionel

The Senegalese Navy has successfully executed its first-ever test launch of an anti-
ship missile, marking a pivotal moment in the nation’s transition from a coastal
patrol force to a fully capable blue-water navy. The live-fire exercise, conducted
from a _Walo_-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV), demonstrated a new level of operational
maturity and deterrence capacity for the West African state.

The test targeted a decommissioned CTM landing craft, which had been retrofitted
with shipping containers to simulate a high-value naval target. According to naval
officials, the missile struck the target with precision, setting it ablaze, though
the vessel remained afloat following the impact.

“This achievement symbolizes the operational maturity of our Navy and its constant
commitment to serving national sovereignty,” the Senegalese Navy stated following
the exercise.

### The Weapon: Marte MK2/N

The weapon [employed ](https://www.military.africa/2023/01/senegalese-navys-second-opv-58s-niani-receives-armaments/)
was the Marte MK2/N, a short-to-medium range anti-ship missile developed by European
missile house MBDA. Introduced in January 2006, the MK2/N is the ship-launched variant
of the Marte family, specifically designed for littoral and low-intensity naval 
warfare.

The missile is optimized for engaging fast-maneuvering targets in complex environments.
It employs a “fire-and-forget” guidance capability, allowing the launch vessel to
disengage or engage other threats immediately after firing. The system relies on
mid-course inertial navigation combined with an active radar homing seeker for the
terminal phase.

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Prior to launch, the ship’s surface search and navigation radars designate the target.
Once airborne, the missile flies autonomously through a series of waypoints using
its inertial guidance system. As it approaches the target area, the nose-mounted
active radio frequency (RF) seeker activates, acquiring the target coordinates and
guiding the weapon to impact.

The Marte MK2/N is designed to defeat modern ship defenses through a sea-skimming
flight profile, flying just meters above the water to evade enemy radar detection.
It delivers a semi-armor-piercing high-explosive (HE) warhead equipped with both
impact and proximity fuses, ensuring a high probability of kill against corvettes
and fast attack craft. Target designation can also be provided by external platforms,
such as helicopters or other vessels, via data link, further extending the engagement
envelope.

![](https://www.military.africa/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/senegalese-navy-anti-
ship-missile-3-1-1024x538.png)

The Marte MK2/N is designed to defeat modern ship defenses, it is optimized for 
engaging fast-maneuvering targets in complex environments.

### The Platform: OPV 58 S (_Walo_ Class)

The missile was launched from one of Senegal’s new OPV 58 S vessels, a class of 
62-meter combatant ships built by French shipbuilder Piriou. The program, initiated
with a [contract signing](https://www.military.africa/2019/11/senegal-orders-three-opv-58-s-patrol-vessels-from-france/)
in November 2019, delivered three highly capable vessels to Senegal [between 2023 and 2024](https://www.military.africa/2023/07/missile-armed-walo-arrives-home/):
the _Walo_, _Niani_, and _[Cayor](https://www.military.africa/2024/04/piriou-delivers-third-missile-armed-opv-58-s-to-senegalese-navy/)_.

The _Walo_ (delivered June 2023) and its sister ships represent a substantial upgrade
in naval firepower for the region. While the contract initially specified a maximum
speed of 21 knots, the [vessels are optimized](https://www.military.africa/2021/09/senegals-opv-58s-vessels-are-almost-complete/)
for endurance, capable of covering 4,500 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 12
knots. This endurance allows the OPV 58 S to remain at sea for up to 25 days, a 
critical requirement for patrolling Senegal’s expanding Exclusive Economic Zone (
EEZ).

The vessels are [heavily armed](https://www.military.africa/2023/01/senegalese-navys-second-opv-58s-niani-receives-armaments/)
for their size. In addition to the four forward-mounted Marte MK2/N missiles (providing
a strike range exceeding 30 kilometers), the ships field a 76mm Leonardo main gun,
two 20mm Nexter remote weapon stations, and 12.7mm heavy machine guns. For air defense,
the class utilizes the SIMBAD-RC system armed with Mistral short-range missiles,
offering protection against aircraft, helicopters, and drones out to approximately
6 kilometers.

The platform also features a 360-degree panoramic bridge and a modern combat management
system (POLARIS), which integrates data from the ship’s sensors to provide a 30-
kilometer radius of situational awareness and deterrence.

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Propulsion is provided by MAN Energy Solutions, which was [contracted ](https://www.military.africa/2021/03/man-engines-to-power-west-african-naval-vessels/)
to supply MAN 175D diesel engines. These V-type engines (available in 12, 16, or
20 cylinder configurations) allow for efficient operations during long surveillance
patrols while providing the necessary power for high-speed interdictions.

### Regional Balance of Power

This capability leap aligns with “Naval Strategy 2050,” Senegal’s modernization 
roadmap aimed at building a strategically autonomous fleet. The timing is critical;
Senegal is on the cusp of becoming a major hydrocarbon exporter, with the Greater
Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) gas field and the Sangomar oil field coming online.

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Protecting this infrastructure—situated in a maritime zone spanning nearly 200,000
square kilometers—requires robust enforcement capabilities. The region, particularly
the Gulf of Guinea, has historically been a hotspot for maritime insecurity, including
piracy, armed robbery at sea, and illegal fishing. The ability to deploy credible
anti-ship missiles alters the risk calculus for any hostile state or non-state actor
operating in these waters.

The successful integration of the Marte MK2/N signals a shift in the [West African naval balance of power](https://www.military.africa/2019/12/naval-balance-of-power-shifts-as-senegal-introduces-ship-killing-warship/).
Historically, Nigeria held the dominant naval position in the Gulf of Guinea. However,
analysts note that while Nigeria’s platforms have faced challenges with maintenance
and atrophy over previous years, Senegal has rapidly recapitalized its fleet with
modern, missile-armed assets.

With the _Walo_, _Niani_, and [_Cayor_ ](https://www.military.africa/2024/04/piriou-delivers-third-missile-armed-opv-58-s-to-senegalese-navy/)
now fully operational and combat-proven in testing, the Senegalese Navy has effectively
graduated from a constabulary coast guard role to a force capable of conventional
naval warfare.

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