MBDA Delivers First Accelerated ASTER Missiles for France, Italy, U.K.
Ramp-up aims to slash production times, boost deliveries fivefold by end-2025
MBDA has delivered the first ASTER missiles under an accelerated production drive coordinated by European Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR).
The 23 July 2025 delivery comes less than two and a half years after France and Italy launched the joint procurement through OCCAR and Eurosam—MBDA’s joint venture with Thales. A follow-up order in February 2025 added missile requirements for the United Kingdom. The full program includes nearly 1,000 ASTER missiles for all three nations.
The company aims to cut ASTER missile production lead-times by more than 50% by 2026 and deliver five times the originally planned volume in 2025.
MBDA began scaling production in 2024, formalizing the effort with new contracts in early 2025. Key investments have been made in production sites in Bourges and Selles-Saint-Denis (France) and Fusaro (Italy), alongside expanded stockpiles and increased workforce.
Between 2023 and 2025, MBDA will have doubled missile output across the Group. A further €2.4 billion will be invested between 2025 and 2029 to continue scaling operations across Europe.
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