The Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation has announced the first successful firing of Eurosam’s new-generation ASTER 30 B1 missile at a testing facility in France.
The missile functions as a defense against a wide spectrum of air threats, including supersonic, subsonic, and anti-radiation missiles, as well as combat aircraft and drones.
The test demonstrated the weapon’s capabilities in a complex scenario simulation with two aerial targets, one against an enemy and another to defend a friendly aircraft.
The Aster family of missiles has been developed by Eurosam, an entity created by linking the French and Italian entities of MBDA and Thales.
Once delivered, the ASTER 30 B1 will enhance the Franco-Italian SAMP/T NG land-based air defense system and will be utilized by the French and Italian navies for their Horizon-type air defense, as well as by the UK for its Type 45 destroyers.
Features
The ASTER 30 B1 is fitted with algorithms allowing it to discriminate between decoys and actual targets.
It is the only European missile with a Ka-band seeker to detect faster and longer-range ballistic missiles, intercepting targets at a range of up to 1,500 kilometers (932 miles).
The ASTER features a two-stage design to optimize its trajectory towards the target.
Initially, the missile is guided inertially, with updated target data provided by a multi-function radar.
In the final homing phase, guidance is managed by an electromagnetic active seeker, ensuring precise performance in all weather conditions.
In 2023, France and Italy contracted Eurosam to deliver 700 Aster air defense missiles, including the ASTER 30 B1, for 2 billion euros ($2.18 billion).