France & Italy buy new ASTER 30 B1 NT surface-to-air missiles


According to information published by the OCCAR on January 31, 2023, the OCCAR-EA Director Matteo Bisceglia and the Managing Director of Eurosam Eva Bruxmeier signed the contract for the production of ASTER 30 B1 New Technology, ASTER 30 B1 and ASTER 15 medium-range air defence missiles.
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Russian Vyborg Shipyard laid the Purga ice class coastguard ship of project 23550 925 001 VL MICA NG missile, Aster B1 NT and CAMM ER. (Picture source: Eurosam)


The contract was signed on behalf of the Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA) for France and SEGREDIFESA for Italy for the benefit of 5 forces: French Air Force, French Navy, Italian Army, Italian Navy and a new end-user Italian Air Force.

This contract concerns especially the procurement of the new version of ASTER 30 B1 NT to deal with future aerial threats more speedy and manoeuvrable.

This new missile will equip SAMP/T NG of the French Air Force, Italian Army and Italian Air Force and HORIZON frigates of the Italian Navy. In addition, this contract takes into account the production of new ASTER 30 B1 for SAMP/T NG for Italian Air Force and new ASTER 30 and ASTER 15 for French and Italian Navy.

This complex contract negotiated by OCCAR reached to a conclusion thanks to a strong involvement of EUROSAM and MBDA, as European missile industrial reference, and great cooperation of Nations.

With this new contract, OCCAR reinforces the European missile industry supported by MBDA and by major European actors like Thales, Avio, Roxel, Simmel…

This new contract comes in addition to the contract of the Mid-Life Update of the current ASTER stockpile of France, Italy and United-Kingdom placed in 2020 and 2021.

With these contracts, OCCAR will provide to the 3 Nations a renewed capacity of Medium Range Air-Defence, contributing at the same time to the European Air Defence system.

Aster 30 Block 1 NT

Aster 30 Block 1NT is an upgraded version of the existing Aster 30 Block 1 missile system. The modification includes a new Ka-band seeker and a new weapon controller while retaining the same size, mass, and booster.