ASTER SAAM
Surface-to-Air Anti Missile (SAAM) weapon system
ASTER 15 SAAM is the new generation of naval Medium Range Air Defence systems providing self-defence and nearby ship protection
The ASTER family
The current Aster family is a set of two missiles originally designed as anti-missile missiles, capable of defeating Air Breathing Threat. This family is characterised by a common kill vehicle, the booster (15 or 30) depending on the operational requirement. Both variants are delivered as a full up round of missile within their nitrogen pressurised canister. Vertically launched to ensure 360° coverage, they can operate with new generation radars, subject to implementation of an up-link in one of the following bandwidths : I/J, G or F.
The kill vehicle control relies on an innovative combination of strong aerodynamic control (‘PAF’) and pyrotechnic control (‘PIF’). The latter operates at the centre of gravity of the vehicle to provide the highest agility and the highest probability of achieving a ‘Hit-to-Kill’ intercept (even against highly manoeuvring targets) within a large intercept domain. Fitted with an active RF seeker, a proximity fuze and a blast fragmentation warhead, the kill vehicle provides a proven multi-engagement, multi-environment and multi-target capability, satisfying land and naval requirements. These full up rounds are developed within the ‘Future Surface-to-Air Family’ (‘FSAF’) and the ‘Principal Anti-Air Missile System’ (‘PAAMS’) programmes, developed by three European nations.
The Aster-based systems are :
ASTER 15-SAAM (Surface-to-Air Anti-Missile) for naval anti-air self defence and consort ship protection,
ASTER 30-SAMP/T (Ground-to-Air Medium-Range/Land) for ground based anti-air self-defence, projected force protection and national or allied asset defence, with an Anti-Tactical Ballistic Missile capability,
ASTER 15 & 30 - PAAMS (Principal Anti-Air Missile System), the only system able to integrate three operational naval missions: self-defence, local area defence of nearby vessels and fleet area defence.
ASTER 15 - SAAM
Operational requirement
Provide outstanding protection of high value naval platforms against highly manoeuvring supersonic anti-ship missiles, non manoeuvring subsonic sea-skimmers, Anti-Radiation Missiles (ARMs), Fighter Aircraft and Maritime Patrol Aircraft. The protection of nearby ships against the same type of air threat is also required.
The MBDA solution
A medium range anti-air vertical launching missile system is based on the ASTER 15 missile. The system comprises: a Fire Control Unit implementing or coupled with an up-link operating in one of the I/J, G or F radar bandwidths, which offers 360 ° coverage and requires low manpower. The Aster missiles fitted with an all weather capable active RF seeker require no target illuminator. This allows such a system to be integrated onto a naval platform of up to 2, 000 tonnes. The MBDA solution also responds to the power projection requirement and can operate in either a stand alone mode or in conjunction with the ship Combat Management System.
Description
The SAAM system comprises:
A Fire Control System based on a new generation radar implementing or coupled with an up-link (either I/J or G or F bandwidth),
A 43 Sylver Vertical Launching Systems, each containing eight ready-to-fire missiles,
The ASTER 15 anti-missile missiles.
This system provides 360 ° defence and an all weather capability. It also features an extremely quick response time, a high firing rate (8 missiles within 10 seconds) and the capability to engage up to 8 targets simultaneously. The main equipment is designed with a high built-in test capability and requires limited logistics. No more than two people are required to operate the system and the engagement sequence or on board maintenance tasks can be managed in a very comprehensive manner. This is due to the use of standard conventional symbology and a Man Machine Interface (MMI) optimised with the end user.
MAIN FEATURES and ADVANTAGES
High effectiveness
The design drivers of this system were to overcome the threat posed by Anti-Radiation Missiles, including highly manoeuvring, stealthy, lately discriminated and unmasked targets. This capability relies on the short reaction time of the Firing Control Unit, the high speed of the Aster 15 weapon (Mach 3+) and their innovative control mode which provides the backbone of a true Hit-To-Kill performance. Although it is designed as a Hit-To-Kill missile, the Aster kill vehicle has a blast fragmentation warhead efficient against the most hardened targets within a large intercept volume.
Outstanding manoeuvrability and unequalled agility
The Aster kill vehicle is small and lightweight, enabling it to defeat the new generation of threat, especially highly manoeuvring targets. It is able to provide a high level of manoeuvrability through strong aerodynamic control (`PAFÂ’) and the implementation of pyrotechnic control (`PIFÂ’) that acts at its centre of gravity. This additional control device also acts as a compensator for the aerodynamic control response time and provides lateral acceleration without the need to generate an angle of attack. This enables the system to achieve the shortest response time to a control order, offering unequalled agility, the predominant characteristic of an anti-missile missile. This mixed control has proven its outstanding performance, especially at high altitude where air density is low. As a consequence of this concept, the Aster weapon is a two-stage missile currently with two possible booster sizes.
Guidance accuracy
The Aster missile computes the predicted intercept time according to the target and environmental data it receives during the launch sequence. From the missile flyout and up to the point at which the active RF seeker switches on, the missile is inertially guided, receiving periodic target position and environment updates from the Firing Control Unit via the up-link. This data allows the missile to update its own computations continuously as well as its optimum trajectory towards seeker switch-on and intercept and the predicted intercept time. As soon as the seeker has switched on and achieved target lock, the missile can home onto the target. The risk of acquiring the wrong target is avoided by means of sophisticated functions within the seeker and the onboard computer. Just before intercept and as determined by the on board computer, the pyrotechnic ‘PIF’ is initiated, operating in conjunction with the aerodynamic control, the ‘PAF’ to significantly reduce the predicted missile/target miss-distance, to the point of achieving a direct hit.
Status of programme
The French and Italian ASTER 15-SAAM systems are qualified. The French aircraft carrier, Charles de Gaulle, is the first warship to have had the system installed, in this instance, with the Arabel Multi-Function Radar. It has now been operational for over two years, after completion of a successfull operational live test.
5 ASTER 15-SAAM systems have already been ordered.
Mass 310 kg
Length 4.2 m
Diameter 0.18 m
Propulsion
solid propellant, two stage,
Terminal velocity
Mach 3
Manoeuvrability
50 g
Guidance updata link and active radar seeker in final phase
Altitude of interception10 km
Range In excess of 30 km
