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Aster
IOC: 2002
Aster 15
Origin
France
Italy
United Kingdom
Contractor/s
MBDA
Applications
Charles de Gaulle
Conte di Cavour
Formidable
FREMM
Gowind 200
Horizon
Sawari II
Sylver
Sylver A-70
Type 45
Family Members
Aster 30
Aster Block 1
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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.
Specifications
Dimensions: Diameter 180 mm, Length 4.2 m
Weights: Max Weight 310 kg (683 lb)
Performance: Ceiling 13,000 m (42,651 ft), Max Range 30,000 m (98,425 ft), Min Range 1,700 m (5,577 ft), Top Speed 1,000 mps (Mach 3)
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Notes
(*) 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)
Last Updated: Saturday, November 22, 2008
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