PARIS — France has signed Dec. 23 a contract for the Aster Block 1 New Technology program, launching an expected upgrade of the Aster surface-to-air missile, expanding its intercept range, the French procurement office said.
"The contract was signed by the Direction Générale de l’Armement Dec. 23 2015 with the Eurosam consortium, which comprises MBDA and Thales," the DGA said in a Wednesday Jan. 13 statement. A DGA spokesman declined to give a value of the deal.
"The contract is worth several hundred million euros," said a source close to the deal.
The DGA works through the European agency Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d'Armement.
Britain, France and Italy also signed on Monday Dec. 11 a memorandum of understanding for maintaining the capability and improving the systems on the Aster weapon, the spokesman said.
The New Technology program aims to develop a new version of the Aster 30 Block 1, with the first units to be delivered to the French Air Force in 2023, the DGA said. The work on the missile includes upgrading the sol-air moyen portée – terrestre, the land system, which attacks aims to down ballistic missiles.
MBDA builds the missile, while Thales supplies the Arabel radar.
The upgrade would improve the SAMP/T's contribution to the NATO program for an anti-ballistic missile shield.
France expects Italy to sign in the next few months a similar agreement in the next few months for the Italian SAMP/T units.
Britain fits a naval version of the missile on its Type 45 destroyer. France and Italy deploy a land-based Aster on the SAMP/T and the missile arms their multimission frigates.
The New Technology upgrade would allow the Aster 30 to hit enemy missiles with a range of 1,000 kilometers. The Block 1 model held by the French and Italian forces can intercept incoming missiles with a range of 600 kilometers, such as the Scud B.
A upgraded An NT version is on the roadmap for building an Aster Block 2, which would intercept weapons that have a range of 3,000 kilometers.
Email: ptran@defensenews.com
