Aster (missile family)
[1] The Aster is primarily operated by France and Italy, as well as the United Kingdom as an export customer, and is an integrated component of the PAAMS air defence system, known in the Royal Navy as Sea Viper.As the principal weapon of the PAAMS, the Aster equips the Horizon-class frigates in French and Italian service as well as the British Type 45 destroyers.During the 1980s, the predominant missiles in Franco-Italian service were short-range systems such as the French Crotale, Italian Selenia Aspide or American Sea Sparrow, with ranges up to a dozen kilometres.[7] The resulting Aster surface-to-air missile meets inter-service and international requirements, addressing the needs of the land, air and naval forces of France, Italy and the United Kingdom.The decision to base the missile around a common terminal intercept "dart" to which different sized boosters can be attached, has made it modular and extensible.[9] In January 2023, the Italian and French Minister of Defense signed with MBDA a $2 billion contract for the purchase of 700 Aster missiles.The Aster 30 Block 1 is used on the Eurosam SAMP/T system operated by the French Air and Space Force and the Italian Army.[18] The Aster 30 has been incorporated by Eurosam into a mobile SAM system, fulfilling the ground-based theatre air defence/protection requirement.[14] According to a news report of May 2023, "The Franco-Italian anti-aircraft missile system has arrived in Ukraine, and it will be serviced by 20 local experts.
Current operators
Surface-to-airanti-ballistic missileEurosamInertial guidanceActive RF seekervertical launchsurface-to-air missilesAérospatialeThalescombat aircrafthelicopterscruiseanti-radiationsea-skimmingsupersonicanti-shipcounter ballistic missilesRoyal NavyHorizon-class frigatesType 45 destroyersFREMM multipurpose frigatesCrotaleSelenia AspideSea SparrowRIM-66 Standardsurface-to-air missileSea Dartanti-ship missilesBrahMosfleetsmemorandum of understandingAerospatiale C.22Exocetcountermeasures environmentnuclear-poweredCharles de GaulleMach 1CarabiniereSylververtical launching systemMark 41 Vertical Launching Systemshort-range ballistic missilesmedium-range ballistic missilesSAMP/TType 45 destroyersHorizon-class frigateCaio DuilioFrench aircraft carrier Charles de GaulleItalian aircraft carrier CavourType 45 destroyerFREMM multipurpose frigateFormidable-class frigateKalaat Béni Abbès classFrégate de défense et d'interventionThaon di Revel-class offshore patrol vesselDoha-class corvetteaircrafttactical ballistic missilesstandoff missilescruise missilesanti-radiation missilesItalian Army4th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment "Peschiera"Republic of Singapore NavyToulonHawaiiHMS DauntlessBenbeculaOuter HebridesBlack SparrowForbinFrench NavyGQM-163 CoyoteEU operation in the Red SeaRepublic of Singapore Air ForceAlgeriaAlgerian National NavyAlgerian amphibious transport dock Kalaat Béni AbbèsEgyptian NavyFranceFrench Air and Space ForceGreeceHellenic NavyFDI HN frigatesItalian NavyItalian Air ForceMoroccoRoyal Moroccan NavyQatar NavySaudi ArabiaRoyal Saudi NavySingaporeUkraineUnited KingdomArmeniaArmed Forces of ArmeniaSébastien LecornuTurkeyTurkish Air ForceRoketsanAselsanOperation Peace SpringCroatiaCroatian Air ForceSlovakiaSlovak Air ForceIsraeliAmericanNorwegianNASAMSFrenchAérospatialesSoviet2K12 KubAnti-aircraft warfareComparison of anti-ballistic missile systemsList of missilesBarak 8KM-SAMMIM-104 PatriotRIM-161 Standard Missile 3RIM-162 ESSMRIM-174 Standard ERAMRIM-67 StandardS-300 missile systemS-400 missile system