Documents
France MBDA
Aster 30 Block 1NT
The New Technology upgrade of France's Aster 30 surface-to-air missile, adding an improved seeker and processing to intercept short-and-medium-range ballistic missiles, including hypersonic threats, in addition to aircraft and cruise missiles. It arms the SAMP/T NG ground system and Horizon and FREMM-class warships.
In service since 2023 · 3 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
120
km range
4.5
Mach
15
kg warhead
Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
French export-licensed
CIEEMG inter-ministerial approval; broadly export-oriented.
Channel: DGA / direct commercial
Fielded & proven
Limited · 3 operators
In service since 2023. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 4.5 Mach |
|---|---|
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 120 km |
| Engagement altitude Maximum target altitude the system can reach. | 20,000 m |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Warhead Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range. | 15 kg |
|---|---|
| Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable. | Directional blast-fragmentation |
| Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire. | Inertial navigation with mid-course uplink, Active radar terminal seeker |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 4.9 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 0.64 m |
| Width Overall width, matters for rail/road transport of vehicles. | 0.18 m |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 450 kg |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Two-stage solid-fuel rocket with PIF-PAF thrust vectoring |
|---|
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 3 |
|---|
Specifications compiled from public MBDA and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Boeing AGM-86 ALCM Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the MBDA Aster 30 Block 1NT? +
The MBDA Aster 30 Block 1NT has a maximum range of 120 km.
How much does the MBDA Aster 30 Block 1NT weigh? +
The MBDA Aster 30 Block 1NT has a combat weight of 450 kg.
What is the MBDA Aster 30 Block 1NT used for? +
The MBDA Aster 30 Block 1NT is a missile typically used for air defense.
How many countries operate the MBDA Aster 30 Block 1NT? +
The MBDA Aster 30 Block 1NT is operated by 3 countries.
How much does the MBDA Aster 30 Block 1NT cost? +
MBDA Aster 30 Block 1NT: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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