Portal:Military history of Australia/Equipment/17

An Ikara missile on its launcher

The Ikara missile was an Australian ship-launched anti-submarine missile similar to the United States RUM-139 ASROC. The Ikara was powered by a two stage solid-fuel rocket engine and was guided by radio until it reached the vicinity of the submarine contact whereupon it released its Mark 44 or Mark 46 acoustically-guided anti-submarine torpedo. The Ikara was developed in the 1960s and fitted to all of the Royal Australian Navy's River-class frigates / destroyer escorts and Perth-class guided missile destroyers. It was also operated by the Brazilian Navy, Chilean Navy, Royal Navy, and Royal New Zealand Navy. The Ikara was phased out in the early 1990s.