The French Navy released the video of the missile’s live-firing via Twitter on September 15. FS Bretagne engaged the aerial targets simulating incoming air threats with Aster 15 missile in a high-intensity training. The missile successfully destroyed the target.
“Once again naval anti-aircraft defense has earned a reputation as a hit-to-kill interceptor for its family of Aster missiles developed by MBDA”
Kévin VERHAEGHE, Armament Operation Manager in DGA, via Linkedin
According to a press release from the French Ministry of Defense the live firing was conducted under a realistic scenario. “In order to prepare for high-intensity combat, this launch took place in a realistic scenario carried out by an officer of the Training Department of the Naval Forces with the resources of a missile test center of the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA). This scenario led to the Bretagne patrolling off the coast of a hostile country: the ship thus evolved for a whole day on high alert, in a crisis context simulated by tactical data links.“
FS Bretagne destroyed another air target with its 76 mm gun while electromagnetic decoys where deployed to counter the threat.
“Unaware of the actual time of the attack, the crew of the Bretagne proved their ability to adapt and react rapidly in a combat situation, successfully deploying all of their means of self-defense at medium and short range.”
French Ministry of Defense
The Aster family of missiles was originally designed by MBDA for the Marine Nationale, Royal Navy and Italian Navy to counter supersonic anti-ship missiles. More than 100 Aster missiles have been fired to date.
