France, Italy and UK order additional Aster missiles

Aster partner nations, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom, have ordered 218 additional Aster missiles under a tri-national procurement.

The Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAr) signed the contract on behalf of the Direction générale de l’armement (DGA) for France, Segretariato Generale della Difesa for Italy, and Defence Equipment & Support for the United Kingdom. Six forces, including the French Navy, French Air and Space Force, Italian Army, Italian Navy, Italian Air Force, and Royal Navy, will be using the equipment.

This agreement concerns the production of the new Aster 30 B1 (for SAMP/T NG for France and Italy and naval defense systems of the three nations) and Aster 15 (for the French Navy).

This contract expedites the production of Aster missiles ordered in December 2022, increasing by 134 missiles between 2025 and 2026.

This acceleration, initiated in 2024, is the result of adaptations made by weapon systems provider MBDA and its subcontractors in order to meet the challenges of a wartime economy.

Aster 30 and Aster 15 missiles are two-stage missiles with a common terminal vector and accelerators. The Aster 30 missile can engage both conventional and rudimentary ballistic targets. The Aster 15 missile is designed to counter saturating attacks by maneuvering missiles, fighter aircraft, and slow-moving aircrafts such as maritime patrol or airborne early warning aircraft.

The Aster 30 B1 NT (Block 1 New Technology) operation, launched at the end of 2015, aims to perpetuate the Aster munitions family and to provide it with enhanced performance to respond to the evolution of conventional and ballistic air threats.