Missiles & Munitions :: Surface-to-Air Missiles :: Aster :: Aster 15

Aster 15

IOC: 2002
Origin: France, Italy and United Kingdom

Contractor/s: Avio, MBDA*, Roxel, Sagem Defense Securite, SELEX Galileo, Simmel Difesa and Thales

Description: The ASTER modular family of vertically launched missiles have been designed to meet the high demanding requirements of the emerging air threats such as aircraft, UAVs, helicopters and specially missiles. The ASTER missiles can be installed on ground- and sea-based platforms. They feature hit-to-kill capability, a very valuable skill against ballistic missiles.

The ASTER missiles are provided with two different boosters according to the ASTER 15 or the ASTER 30 model. The 'Pif-Paf' control system enables the ASTER missile to counter high maneuverable missiles achieving a direct impact (hit-to-kill). The 'Pif-Paf' combines conventional aerodynamic control with control by gas jets acting through the centre of gravity of the missile.

The ASTER 15 and ASTER 30 are integrated on the SAAM (ASTER 15), PAAMS (ASTER 15 and ASTER 30) and SAMP/T (ASTER 30) air defense systems. These systems will be employed by the armed forces of France, Italy and the United Kingdom.

The ASTER is a two-stage missile. The solid propellant booster is seized according to the mission profile (ASTER 30 bigger and ASTER 15 smaller). Until mid-course the guidance of an ASTER missile is based on the Inertial Navigation System (INS) updated through an uplink, in the terminal phase the guidance is provided by an active Radiofrequency seeker. The final stage of the ASTER missile is a "dart" equipped with the seeker, a sustainer motor, a proximity fuze and a blast fragmentation warhead.

The ASTER 15 is a short range missile intended for self-defense (point defense) purposes against highly maneuverable threats. The ASTER 15 is integrated on the SAAM and beginning in 2006 in the PAAMS system. The SAAM is installed on French-built frigates and the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier. The PAAMS will be provided to the Horizon frigates (France and Italy) and the Type 45 destroyers (United Kingdom).

In November 2003, the European Defense Procurement Agency, OCCAR, signed a contract for Aster 15 missiles full series production under the Franco-Italian SAAM program. The SAAM-FR (France) was qualified for operational use in May 2005 after first salvo firing from Charles de Gaulle carrier during an international exercise.

Parent system is the Aster
Total Production: 1,000
Other Family Members: Aster 30 and Aster Block 1

Transactions: There are 2 transactions involving 86 items for Aster from 2004 to 2009 view report

Applications:

Carrier & Landing Ships
Corvettes & Missile Boats
Destroyers & Cruisers
Frigates
Rocket & Missile Launchers
Ship Air Defense Systems

Charles de Gaulle and Conte di Cavour

Gowind 200

Type 45

Formidable, FREMM, Horizon and Sawari II

Sylver and Sylver A-70

PAAMS, SAAM and Sea Viper

:: Reviews ::

There are 0 reviews
so far

Write your review

:: Specifications ::

Dimensions
Diameter: 180 millimeter
Length: 4.20 meter

Performance
Max Range: 30,000 meter
Min Range: 1,700 meter
Target's Max Altitude: 13,000 meter (42,651 foot)

Speed
Top Speed: 1,000 mps (3,601 kph)

Weight
Weight: 310 kilogram

:: News ::

There are 16 news between
14 Jan 2003
and
10 Dec 2012

1 2

Aster Surface-to-Air Missile Family Production Program Reaches 1,000 Units Conte di Cavour Aircraft Carrier Successfully Launches Two Aster 15 Missiles Royal Navy Fires Sea Viper Air Defense System from Type 45 Destroyer for First Time Ever Royal Navy's Sea Viper Air Defense System Completes Trials in the Mediterranean French Navy Orders Three More FREMM Frigates All Four French and Italian Horizon-class Frigates Gather at La Spezia Type 45's Sea Viper Missile System Successfully Completes Second Test Firing Royal Navy's Sea Viper Naval Air Defense System Scores Another Success DCNS Finalizes Contract for Multimission Frigate for Morocco MBDA Preparing PAAMS for Royal Navy Firing Trials

:: Operators ::

Operators
	Country	Items	Country	Items
	France	?	Italy	?
	Saudi Arabia	?	Singapore	?
	United Kingdom	?

fully confirmed operational planned retired cancelled destroyed

:: Image Gallery ::

There are 5 images added between
7 Dec 2006
and
17 Aug 2010

:: Notes & Resources ::

Last Updated:
Saturday, February 2, 2013

(*) lead contractor

IOC: Initial Operating Capability
FOC: Full Operating Capability
CEP: Circular Error Probable
Comm: Commissioning Date
Meters (m) Kilometers (km) Nautic Miles (nm) Inch (in) Yard (yd) Foot (ft) Millimeter (mm)
Pound (lb) Kilogram (kg) kN (KiloNewton) Ton (t)
Meters per Second (mps) Kilometers per Hour (kph) Knot (kt) Miles per Hour (mph)
Liter (l) Galon (gl)
Year (yr) Minutes (min) Second (sec)
Shaft-Horse-Power (shp)

Leave Feedback | Operators map | Reports for Aster | Compare Surface-to-Air Missiles