Naval Systems

HITROLE N

Also known as
  • HITROLE N/NT
  • HITROLE-NT
  • Leonardo HITROLE N
  • OTO HITROLE 12.7 mm naval turret
  • HITROLE NT
  • Hitrole Naval Tilting

HITROLE N is Leonardo's naval 12.7 mm remote weapon station from the OTO Melara HITROLE family. The stabilized mount is remotely controlled from inside the ship and is documented as a close-in defensive fit on Germany's F125 frigates, where Bundeswehr identifies five 12.7 mm HITROLE N stations for protection against small surface threats.

HITROLE N, Remote 12.7 mm weapon station, Naval Systems
Image source: Seaforces: HITROLE-NT Leonardo Remote Naval Weapon System Oto Melara
Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Italy
Type
Remote 12.7 mm weapon station
Service note
2000s-present
Designed
2000s
Unit cost
About EUR 400,000 per system (implied by a reported EUR 10 million contract for 25 HITROLE NT systems)
Produced
2008-present

Specifications

Caliber
12.7 mm / .50 caliber
Primary armament
12.7 mm FN Mod. M2HB/QCB machine gun
Alternate armament
40 mm automatic grenade launcher
Weight
220-260 kg
Length
1.74 m
Training arc
+/-155 degrees
Elevation arc
-15 to +50 degrees
Ready to fire rounds
130-400
Control
Remote control console with electrically operated stabilized mount
Fire control and sights
Day TV camera with ballistic routine; optional IR sensor, laser rangefinder, and auto tracker
Ship integration
Standalone gyrostabilized operation, with optional electro-optical sensor and combat-management-system interfaces
Variants

HITROLE N belongs to Leonardo/OTO Melara's small-calibre remote weapon station family. Sources distinguish the naval N/NT line from related LN, G, and 20 mm configurations, while the later Lionfish naval family is better treated as a successor line rather than a HITROLE variant.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
HITROLE LNNaval family configuration

Leonardo's Naval Systems brochure lists Hitrole LN, Hitrole N, and Hitrole G as configurations with increasing weights and performance levels.

Sources: Leonardo: Naval Systems brochure

HITROLE GHeavier naval family configuration

Leonardo groups Hitrole G with Hitrole LN and Hitrole N inside the small-calibre naval weapon family.

Sources: Leonardo: Naval Systems brochure

HITROLE 20 mm20 mm naval remote weapon station

Leonardo announced the HITROLE 20 mm naval system at Euronaval 2014 as a remote weapon station with a 20 mm Gatling gun for anti-air and surface defence.

Sources: Leonardo: OTO Melara at Euronaval 2014

Carrier Platform

Bundeswehr identifies five HITROLE N weapon stations with 12.7 mm machine guns on the F125 class, while contract reporting describes the German F125 selection of the HITROLE NT version.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
Baden-Württemberg / F125 frigate, Stabilization frigate class, Naval SystemsBaden-Württemberg / F125 frigateStabilization frigate

Bundeswehr identifies five HITROLE N weapon stations with 12.7 mm machine guns protecting the F125 class against small surface threats such as speedboats; Defense Industry Daily separately reported five HITROLE NT systems for each frigate plus land-based training systems.

Sources: Bundeswehr: Baden-Württemberg-class F125 frigates, Defense Industry Daily: EUR 80M to OTO Melara for F125 Frigate Gun Systems

Timeline

HITROLE N Key Events

  1. Hitrole NT selected for Germany's F125 program

    Defense Industry Daily reported that Germany selected the 12.7 mm Hitrole turret in the Naval Tilting version, with OTO Melara to provide 25 systems under a EUR 10 million contract.

    Sources: Defense Industry Daily: EUR 80M to OTO Melara for F125 Frigate Gun Systems

  2. HITROLE-NT designation enters the naval family

    SeaForces lists HITROLE-NT as a version of Leonardo's HITROLE N/NT naval weapon system since 2008.

    Sources: Seaforces: HITROLE-NT Leonardo Remote Naval Weapon System Oto Melara

  3. HITROLE 20 mm presented at Euronaval

    Leonardo reported that Finmeccanica-OTO Melara presented the HITROLE 20 mm naval remote weapon station and signed an MOU for development, marketing, and coproduction.

    Sources: Leonardo: OTO Melara at Euronaval 2014

  4. Lionfish successor family announced

    EDR Magazine reported that Leonardo introduced Lionfish by drawing on Hitrole-family experience, with Lionfish Inner Reloading closely resembling the former HITROLE N concept.

    Sources: EDR Magazine: Leonardo unveils its Lionfish naval remotely controlled weapon stations

Media

HITROLE N Videos

HITROLE N Images

HITROLE N, Remote 12.7 mm weapon station, Naval Systems - view 1
Source: Seaforces: HITROLE-NT Leonardo Remote Naval Weapon System Oto Melara
HITROLE N, Remote 12.7 mm weapon station, Naval Systems - view 2
Source: Seaforces: HITROLE-NT Leonardo Remote Naval Weapon System Oto Melara
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Sources

Seaforces: HITROLE-NT Leonardo Remote Naval Weapon System Oto MelaraPublisher: seaforces.org | Note: Supports the HITROLE N/NT naval system description, its 12.7 mm remote-station role, specifications, current users, and page-hosted image URLs. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Leonardo: Naval Systems brochurePublisher: Leonardo | Note: Supports Leonardo manufacturer background and the HITROLE naval family context, including the 12.7 mm and 40 mm configuration description. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Defense Industry Daily: EUR 80M to OTO Melara for F125 Frigate Gun SystemsPublisher: Defense Industry Daily | Note: Supports the reported EUR 10 million contract for 25 HITROLE NT systems, including five systems for each F125 frigate and five land-based training systems. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Bundeswehr: Baden-Württemberg-class F125 frigatesPublisher: Bundeswehr | Note: Supports the F125 frigate carriage relationship and identifies five HITROLE N weapon stations with 12.7 mm machine guns on the class. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Leonardo: OTO Melara at Euronaval 2014Publisher: Leonardo | Note: Supports HITROLE 20 mm family context and the 28 October 2014 Euronaval announcement of the naval remote weapon station. | Accessed: 2026-07-01EDR Magazine: Leonardo unveils its Lionfish naval remotely controlled weapon stationsPublisher: EDR Magazine | Note: Supports successor-family context: Leonardo introduced Lionfish after Hitrole-family experience and described the Inner Reloading model as close to the former HITROLE N concept. | Accessed: 2026-07-01