Aster 30: A missile to rule them all

ΑΜΥΝΑ - 19/10/2021. Συντάκτης: Defendia Newsroom

The Aster (ἀστήρ: αστέρας) Missile family of surface-to-air missiles is one of the most competitive and modern ones in world. The pride of the family is Aster 30; a long-range surface-to-air missile, its current version is in use with some of the most powerful navies in the world like the Royal Navy, Marine Nationale, Marina Militare, in naval platforms such as the Type 45 destroyers, the Horizon-Class frigates, and most recently; the FDI frigates, of which Greece signed a contract for 3+1 new ships, which was imperative to the Hellenic Navy.
It is important to mention that the Aster 30 has many variables that are currently developing, such as the B1NT variant of the missile with a whopping 1.500 km range. The standard version of the missile is also very capable, the Block 0 version that all the users own right now. The Block 0 version has a 120 km range and it can engage targets with low radar cross section (RCS), such as UCAVs, UAVs, Ballistic Missiles, etc. According the the manufacturer MBDA FR/IT and Thales; The philosophy of the missile is one shot-one kill, that is why its nominal range is smaller, but at the same time it has a very big No-Escape Zone (NEZ) and the probability to kill (Pk) is also very high in comparison to the SM-2 or even the SM-6.

Aster 30 Block 0 range (120 km).

Aster 30 B1NT range (1.500 km)

The power of the Aster 30 can be shown in the pictures we uploaded, in the first one, in the case of Block 0, Greece will be able, not just to protect its airspace, but also provide cover to the Greek forces moving to Cyprus via airlift, making the Eastern Mediterranean Sea very hard to operate for the Turkish Air Force. In the second picture we can see that it’s almost impossible for the Turkish Air Force to attack the Hellenic Navy, as the FDI’s radar with a combat range of 250-300 km will detect them way too early. Aster 30 B1NT will change the balance of power in the whole Greece-Turkey conflict and it will be the single most important asset of the Hellenic Armed Forces.
To finish things up, it is important to remember that everlasting peace can only come from the balance of power between nations, so that if one nation decides to go to war, it will know that they are going to bleed and it won’t be pretty.