The OCCAR-EA Director Matteo Bisceglia and the Managing Director of Eurosam Eva Bruxmeier signed a contract for the production of ASTER 30 B1 New Technology, ASTER 30 B1 and ASTER 15 medium range air defence missiles.

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 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 major European actors like Thales, Avio, Roxel, Simmel, and others.

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.