"To meet its requirement for a lightweight anti-submarine torpedo the Italian Navy purchased the US Mark 44 Mod 2. By 1968 the Italian Navy recognized that a replacement was needed for the Mark 44 and in that year issued a staff requirement for a new lightweight torpedo. To meet this requirement Whitehead Motofides (now Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquie) began to develop the A244 and in 1973 produced the prototype weapon. This reportedly entered production for the Italian Navy in 1975 but most production models appear to have been exported. A more sophisticated version, A244/S, was developed almost simultaneously but the Italian Navy did not select it preferring instead the US Mark 46. However, Whitehead continued development and began to sell it from circa 1982/1983 and the Mod 0 weapon was licence-produced to India as NST 58 (Naval Staff Target 58)."