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 22 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.
Aster 15 and 30 missiles differ only in the size of their booster - total weights being 310 kg and 450 kg respectively. Aster 30 requires the longer tubes of the SYLVER A50 launcher, but its range is extended from 30 kilometres (19 mi) to 120 kilometres (75 mi). Aster 30 is also capable of ballistic missile defense.
Aster features two significant improvements over the previous generation of missiles:
- Maneuverability
New control system: control flaps are associated with four powder maneuver rockets at the center of gravity of the missile (also referred to as PIF-PAF for Pilotage induit en force—Pilotage aérodynamique en force). The system prevents a rupture of the missile under high-g maneuvers during trajectory corrections, and allows such maneuvers to be performed without losing aerodynamic performances, improving the precision of the impact on target. A standard launch of the Aster can include 90-degree trajectory changes.
- Radars
The shipboard radar fulfills roles of sentry, meteo, target discrimination, acquisition and chase. It is capable of simultaneously tracking 300 flying objects, discriminating around 60, and guiding up to 16 missiles.
| Aster Missile | |
|---|---|
| Type | Aster 15 Short/medium range surface-air anti-aircraft and anti-missile missile Aster 30 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 :
Aster 30 :
|
