French MBDA (ex MATRA) Weapons

Planes > Weapons

FRENCH WEAPONS MBDA

Aster (surface-to-air missile family)

Aster is a family of surface-to-air missiles manufactured by Eurosam, a European consortium consisting of MBDA France, MBDA Italy (combined 66%) and the Thales Group (33%).

The Aster family was developed to perform three distinct missions:

Ship point defence - using Aster 15 surface-to-air anti-missile missile (SAAM) as used on the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (SAAM-FR), the Italian aircraft carrier Cavour (SAAM-IT) and selected for the 27 French/Italian FREMM multipurpose frigates.
Ship local and area defence - Integrated Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS) using Aster 15 and 30 missiles, selected by Italian, French and British navies. PAAMS delivered by EUROPAAMS consortium, another MBDA/Thales partnership.
Ground-based area defence - Superficie-Aria Media Portata Terrestre (Italian for Ground-based Surface-to-Air Medium Range, SAMP/T) using batteries of Aster 30 missiles. France has demonstrated the feasibility of destroying medium range ballistic missile.


Type	Aster 15 Short/medium range surface-air anti-aircraft and anti-missile missile Aster 30 SAMP-T Long range anti-aircraft, anti-missile missile and anti-ballistic missile.
	Service history
In service	2001
	Production history
Manufacturer	MBDA
	Specifications
Weight	310 kg (Aster 15) 510 kg (Aster 30)
Length	4.2 m
Diameter	180 mm

Warhead	Directed fragmentation
Detonation mechanism	Proximity
Engine	Solid propellant two-stage rocket
Operational range	1.7-30 km (Aster 15) 3-120 km (Aster 30)
Flight altitude	13 km maximum (Aster 15) 20 km (Aster 30)
Speed	Mach 3 (1000 m/s) (Aster 15) Mach 4.5; 1,400 m/s (Aster 30)
Guidance system	Telemetry uplink, terminal active radar homing
Launch platform	Aster 15 : France: Charles de Gaulle, Horizon class frigate, La Fayette class frigate Italy: Cavour, Horizon class frigate Singapore: Formidable class frigates UK: Type 45 destroyer Saudi Arabia: Al Riyadh class frigate (Sawari II) Aster 30 : Singapore: Formidable class frigates UK: Type 45 AAW Destroyer France/Italy: Horizon class frigate

The Air-Sol Moyenne Portée (ASMP; medium-range air to surface missile)

is a French air-launched nuclear missile. Part of the Force de frappe, in French nuclear doctrine it is the last-resort "warning shot" prior to a full-scale employment of strategic nuclear weapons. The missile's construction was contracted to Aérospatiale's Tactical Missile Division, now part of MBDA.

ASMP entered service in 1986, replacing the earlier free-fall AN-22 bomb on France's Dassault Mirage IV aircraft and the AN-52 bomb on Dassault Super Étendard. About 84 weapons are stockpiled. Carrier aircraft are the Dassault Mirage 2000N, Rafale, and Super Étendard; the earlier Mirage IVP was completely retired in 1996.

ASMP is 5.38 m long and weighs 860 kg. It is a supersonic stand-off missile powered by a liquid-fuel ramjet. It flies at Mach 2 to Mach 3, with a range between 80 km and 300 km depending on flight profile. Warhead is a single TN 81 with two yield options, 150 and 300 kt of TNT.

An advanced version known as ASMP-A has a range of about 500km at a speed of up to Mach 3 with the new TNA (tête nucléaire aéroporté) 300kt thermonuclear warhead. It entered service in October 2009 with the Mirage 2000NK3 of squadron EC 3/4 at Istres and on July 2010 with the Rafales of squadron EC 1/91 at Saint Dizier.


Type	medium-range air to surface nuclear missile
	Service history
In service	1986
	Production history
Manufacturer	Aérospatiale
	Specifications
Weight	860 Kg.
Length	5.38 m
Diameter	300 mm
Warhead	TN 81 nuclear warhead, 150 kt or 300 kt of TNT (variable yield)
Engine	liquid-fuel ramjet
Operational range	between 80 Km. and 300 Km.
Speed	Mach 2 to Mach 3
Launch platform	Dassault Mirage IV, Dassault Mirage 2000N, Dassault Rafale, and Dassault Super Etendart