Italy has tested the M23 C-series midget submarine for operations in littorals, built for the Qatari Navy.
Naval News reports that the C-series submarines to enter service with the Qatari Navy were spotted at La Spezia on the Italian coast.
Qatar and Fincantieri signed a contract in 2020 to construct C-series midget submarines. The new model is comparable in size to other midget submarines, which are known to be in use by Italy, Iran, and North Korea, but it has a range of new features.
OSINT analyst H I Sutton states that the submarine is armed with two 533 mm torpedo tubes, sea mines, and, interestingly, loitering munitions, which is something new for submarines. The submarine's 23-meter length makes it easier to transport and deploy, providing a potential element of surprise.
Thanks to its small size, the submarine's ease of transport and stealthiness are important for special operations or sabotage, which can be done with torpedoes or loitering munitions.
