REPMUS 2025: Portuguese Navy facilitates test launch of Hunter-02 rocket from OPV

A Hunter-02 rocket being test-launched from the Portuguese Navy Viana Do Castelo (NPO 2000)-class OPV Figueira Da Foz (P 361). (Marinha Portuguesa)

The Portuguese Navy (Marinha Portuguesa) has facilitated the test launch at-sea of a Hunter-02 rocket from the Viana Do Castelo (NPO 2000)-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV) Figueira Da Foz (P 361) as part of NATO's Exercise ‘REPMUS 25' (Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping with Maritime Unmanned Systems).

The launch was conducted via a temporarily installed launcher on the OPV's flight deck. The test took place on 12 September, according to Portuguese company Optimal Group, the rocket's developer.

In a post on its website, the Portuguese Navy said the 3 m-long Hunter-02 was successfully launched from the OPV and reached a maximum altitude of 4,500 m and a speed of Mach 1. The Hunter programme has had four successful launches prior to this, with the ‘REPMUS' test the first to be undertaken at sea, according to Optimal Group. The test fulfilled an objective in the development of command-and-control and guidance algorithms, Optimal Group said.

Director of the Portuguese Navy Operational Experimentation Centre (Centro de Experimentação Operacional da Marinha: CEOM), Captain Palmeiro Ribeiro told Janes during a briefing on 23 September that the test was focused on seeing how efficient the rocket was. To assess accuracy, Capt Ribeiro said a target was placed at sea with the rocket being used to hit it.

For more information, please see BMT unveils Ellida Strike amphibious concept .