Turkiye willing to cooperate with Italy and France on air defense project with Aster 30 SAMP/T.

According to a tweet from Ragip Soylu dated July 5, an Agreement on Mutual Protection of Confidential Information in the Defense Industry was signed between Turkey and Italy, opening the way for the SAMP/T missile defense system purchase and possible technology transfer for Ankara.
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Firing of an Aster 30 air defense missile (Picture source: Eurosam)

As written by Sakshi Tiwari in EurAsian Times, Turkish president Erdogan stated that Turkey wants to continue working on a combined defense project with France and Italy based on the SAMP/T air-defense missile system from Eurosam. The Turkish President made the comments following the third inter-governmental meeting between him and the Prime Minister of Italy, Mario Draghi, in Ankara, where nine new bilateral cooperation agreements were signed.

Aster 30-SAMP/T medium range surface-t-oair missile

Aster 30 SAMP/T protects sensitive sites and deployed forces against missile threats (TBM, stand-off and cruise missiles, ARM) and aircraft, replacing all existing medium-range ground-to-air systems.
It is designed to meet medium and long-range air defence needs (force projection, protection of high-value areas and area protection). It can operate in standalone mode or can be integrated into a coordinated network.

The system comprises:
• A fire control system based on a Command and Control system (an engagement module connected to a multi-function Arabel radar)
• Up to six vertical launchers each fitted with eight, ready-to-fire Aster 30 missiles

In addition to its 360º defence capabilities, the Aster 30 SAMP/T system is highly automated and features extremely quick response times, a high rate of fire (eight missiles in about 10 seconds from each launcher), high built-in test capability and a streamlined crew requirement (only two people are needed to operate the system). It also meets demanding strategic and tactical mobility requirements with all vehicles being off-road capable and air-transportable in C-130-class aircraft.

Operating principle

Aster is a two-stage missile, a concept that leads to the maximum effectiveness of the interceptor stage. The solid propellant booster ensures the optimum shaping of the missile’s trajectory in the direction of the target and separates a few seconds after the vertical launch. Up to its mid-course, the weapon is inertially guided, using refreshed target data transmitted by the engagement module through the multi-function radar. During the homing phase, guidance is achieved by an electromagnetic active seeker providing a highly accurate capability in all weathers.

Aster combines a powerful aerodynamic control «PAF» with a direct force control «PIF», using lateral thrusters right at the centre of gravity of the kill vehicle. This innovative control concept provides the weapon with unequalled agility and manoeuvrability within its whole intercept domain, especially at high altitudes.

The missile combines a proximity fuze and a blast fragmentation warhead that is effective against even the most hardened of targets including Tactical Ballistic Missiles (TBMs).

Aster 30 SAMP/T is in service with the French and Italian armed forces. Both nations are now looking towards Aster 30 Block 1 NT (New Technologies) for even greater ATBM capabilities.