Again during 1997 Aster was extensively tested, this time being pitted against targets such as the Aerospatiale C.22 target and first generation Exocet anti-ship missiles. In May 1996, trials of the Aster 15 active electromagnetic final guidance system against live targets began. This was also the period during which the launch sequence of Aster 30 was validated. A Phase 2 contract was awarded in 1997 at US$1 billion for pre-production and development of the French-Italian land and naval systems.ĭuring development trials between 19 all flight sequences, altitudes and ranges, were validated. The missile successfully intercepted a target at an altitude of 15,000 m (49,000 ft) and at speeds of 1,000 km/h (620 mph). By July 1995 development had taken shape in the form of the Aster missile and test firing of the first Aster 30 took place. In May 1989, a Memorandum of understanding was signed between France and Italy for the development of a family of future surface-to air-missiles. ships, or in medium-to-long range "zone defence" of fleets. This allowed the actual systems to have the characteristic of being specialised either in short-to-medium range "point defence" for e.g. Thought was given in particular to the new missile's ability to intercept next-generation supersonic anti-ship missiles, such as the BrahMos missile developed jointly by India and Russia. France and Italy decided to start development of a domestic medium/long range surface-to-air missile to enter service in the first decade of the 21st century, that would give them comparable range but superior interception capability to the American Standard or British Sea Dart already in service.
Some vessels were also equipped with the American medium/long range RIM-66 Standard. During the 1980s, the predominant missiles in Franco-Italian service were short-range systems such as the French Crotale, Italian Selenia Aspide or American Sea Sparrow, with ranges up to a dozen kilometres.
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