유도탄 아스터 30 B1 NT 지대공미사일 첫 시험발사 실시

[위종민]

10월 8일 프랑스의 DGA가 세바스티앙 르코르뉘 국방장관이 참석한 가운데 프랑스 남서부 비스카로스의 DGA 미사일 시험장에서 차세대 프랑스0이탈리아 아스터 30 B1 NT 미사일의 첫 시험발사를 실시했네요. 

이 미사일은 양국의 SAMP/T NG 지대공미사일 시스템 및 호라이즌급 방공구축함에 탑재될 예정입니다. 영국 해군의 45형 구축함에도 장착이 될지, 다른 미사일이 장착될 지. 

시험발사 도중엔 적 표적기 1기와 아군 항공기 1기 등 2기의 공중 표적이 배치됐었네요. 

아스터 30 B1 NT는 사거리 1,500km 급의 탄도미사일 요격능력을 갖추고 있다고 하네요. Ku 밴드 외에 Ka 밴드 시커가 추가로 달려 있고, 디코이와 표적을 구분할 수 있는 알고리즘이 적용됐다고 합니다. 

프랑스와 이탈리아의 호라이즌급 방공함은 C밴드 EMPAR PESA 레이더를 레오나르도의 Kronos Grand Naval로, SMART-L 장거리 탐색 레이더를 탈레스의 SMART-L MM으로 교체한다고 하네요. Kronos Grand Naval도 EMPAR과 동일한 1면 / 60회전하는 회전식 레이더입니다. 

First test firing of new French-Italian ASTER 30 B1 NT surface to air missile - Naval News

First test firing of new French-Italian ASTER 30 B1 NT surface to air missile - Naval News

The first firing ever of an ASTER B1 NT missile. Screencapture from French MoD video.

First test firing of new French-Italian ASTER 30 B1 NT surface to air missile

France successfully test-fired for the first time the new ASTER B1 NT surface to air missile which will provide the Italian Navy and French Navy with anti-ballistic and anti-hypersonic missiles capabilities.

Xavier Vavasseur  09 Oct 2024

On October 8, the French defense procurement agency DGA (Direction Générale de l’Armement) carried out the first qualification firing of the new-generation Franco-Italian ASTER B1 NT system at the DGA missile test site in Biscarrosse (South Western France), in the presence of Sébastien Lecornu, Minister of the French Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs.

This was the first development firing of the ASTER 30 B1 NT (New Technology) missile, which will equip the future Franco-Italian SAMP/T NG land-based air defense system. The missile will also be fitted aboard the Horizon type air defense destroyers of the Italian Navy (from 2027) and the French Navy (from 2030) following their mid-life update.

During this test-firing, two aerial targets were deployed to simulate a complex surface-to-air defense situation, with one target representative of an enemy fighter and one representative of a friendly aircraft to be defended.

Sébastien Lecornu said on social media:

“Air superiority is key to our defense and requires air and ground assets. Major milestone reached this morning at DGA’s Biascarosse site: successful first lauching test of the Aster 30 B1 New Technology missile. The Aster 30 B1 NT will equip the French and Italian SAMP-T New Generation ground-air defense systems, scheduled to enter service by 2026. This system is able to intercept hypersonic missiles, dealing with threats at 360 degrees and in a multi-layered way. Congratulations to the teams involved in this project.”

Air superiority is key to our defense and requires air and ground assets.

Major milestone reached this morning at @DGA 's Biascarosse site: successful first lauching test of the Aster 30 B1 New Technology missile.

The Aster 30 B1 NT will equip the 🇫🇷🇮🇹SAMP-T New Generation… pic.twitter.com/3hahNx4haM

— Sébastien Lecornu (@SebLecornu) October 8, 2024

About Horizon air defense destroyers MLU program

Horizon type air-defense destroyers (Credit: French Navy)

Naviris, the 50/50 owned joint venture by Fincantieri and Naval Group, has signed in 2020 a contract with OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation) for a feasibility study on the mid-life upgrade (MLU) of the four Horizon type Air Defense Destroyers. During the Paris Air Show 2023, France and Italy signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the mid-life update (MLU) of the four vessels. The contract was signed by OCCAR, NAVIRIS and EUROSAM in July 2023.

The two Navies’ Horizon-class combat system MLU common activities are centered on the introduction of a new generation air and missile surveillance and defense system collectively called Principal Anti-Air Missile System New Generation (PAAMS NG) & Long-Range Radar (LRR) and a new EW suite.

Naval News understands that both countries have agreed on the following regarding the upgrade of the radar systems: The EMPAR (European Multifunction Phased Array Radar) rotating C band multifunction passive electronically scanned array radar currently fitted with be replaced with the Kronos Grand Naval by Leonardo (while initially France was pitching the rotating SeaFire by Thales). The legacy SMART L long range radar will make place for the newer and much improved SMART L MM by Thales (while initially Italy was pitching the Kronos Power Shield by Leonardo). The EW suite will be modernized by Thales and Elettronica. The new combat management system aboard the ltalian ships will be the Athena / SADOC Mk 4 by Leonardo while the French vessels will be upgrade with the SETIS by Naval Group.

About ASTER B1 NT

The MLU program includes the adoption of the new ASTER B1NT surface to air missile by MBDA which is set to bring Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) capability. ASTER B1 NT will intercept short-range or ballistic missiles having a range of up to 1,500 km. While initial deliveries are for to the land-based SAMP/T systems (of the French and Italian Army), the missile is set to eventually be deployed aboard air defense destroyers of the UK (Type 45), France and Italy (Horizon type). Studies for the integration of Aster 30 B1 NT missiles aboard the Forbin-class (to provide them with Ballistic Missile Defence BMD capability) are provisioned in the 2019-2025 French military planning law.

BMD and counter-hypersonics

During a recent visit to MBDA headquarters in France, Naval News learned that the new missile is designed to counter new missile threats in the naval domain, such as the Russian 3M22 Zircon and Kh-47M2 Kinzhal missiles (so called “first generation hypersonic weapon systems”), and the Chinese DF-21D (CSS-5 Mod-4) Anti-ship ballistic missile. According to MBDA and DGA experts working on the program, the ASTER B1 NT is fitted with anti-decoy algorithms allowing it to discriminate between decoys and actual missile targets. It is the only European missile fitted with a Ka band seeker. While the detection cone of Ka band seekers is narrower, this band brings improved resolution which is key when dealing with hypersonics or conduction ballistic missile defense (BMD) missions. Ka band usually has shorter range but MBDA actually managed to increase its range by adapting the beam shape accordingly.

Over 100 operational ASTER firings

To date, the MBDA ASTER family of missiles has over 250 successful firing, including 100+ operational firings in Ukraine and in the Red Sea. In the Red Sea theatre, the French Navy alone has fired over 20 ASTER missiles, according to Admiral Defougère, head of Marine Nationale’s planning and programs.

LDO_Comm_Datasheet_4C_R2 (leonardo.com)

[백선호]

공기가 거의 없는 우주로 나가서 탄도탄을 요격할 때는 주파수가 높은 Ku, Ka 대역 액티브 레이다를 써도 되겠네요. 공기 밀도가 높은 곳에서는 감쇄되어 탐지거리가 짧아지겠지만 그런 문제가 덜할 것이니.

[위종민]

아 주파수가 높은 대역 탐색기를 쓰는 데에는 그런 이유가 있었군요. SM-3는 적외선 시커를 써버렸고..