The French Ministry of Defense has issued a directive to manufacturers involved in the production of Aster anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic missiles to prioritize these orders over others. Minister Sébastien Lecornu made this announcement during an interview with his Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto in Calvi. He explained that he had utilized administrative police powers for the first time to ensure that subcontractors prioritize military orders over civilian ones, with the Aster range receiving top priority.
One of the manufacturers affected by this directive is the metallurgist Aubert et Duval, which produces special steels for various industries, including civil aeronautics and defense. The Aster 15 and 30 missiles are manufactured by MBDA in collaboration between France and Italy. These missiles have been provided to Ukraine for their anti-aircraft defense and have also been used in the Red Sea against drones fired by Houthi rebels.
Sébastien Lecornu had previously hinted at such measures at the end of March to urge manufacturers to increase production of the missiles. MBDA plans to reduce the production time of Aster missiles from 42 months to less than 18 months by 2026, with a 50% increase in production by that time. However, challenges such as complex industrial organization and customs issues between France and Italy have been hindering production ramp-up efforts.
In a joint letter to MBDA, Lecornu and Crosetto called for the acceleration of production to guarantee deliveries starting in 2024. They also highlighted the need for a second missile assembly line in Italy to increase production capacities. Additionally, they announced the signing of a letter of intent to strengthen collaboration in land arms industries between the two countries.
This collaborative effort extends from the strategic alliance established between the Franco-German group KNDS and the Italian defense giant Leonardo. The alliance aims to create a European defense group and develop the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS), a future battle tank project in which Italy has observer status. Lecornu emphasized