The French Ministry of Armed Forces has issued a directive to manufacturers involved in the production of Aster anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic missiles, prioritizing 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 KNDS (the Franco-German group) and Leonardo (the Italian defense giant), aimed at creating an European defense group and developing MGCS (Main Ground Combat System), a future battle tank project in which Italy has observer status. Lecornu emphasized on combining European technologies stronger defense clusters while echoing Crosetto’s sentiments on this matter.
Lecornu further stated that France will work closely with its allies in Europe to develop new weapons systems that can meet emerging threats from adversaries such as China, Russia, and Iran.
The French government has been under increasing pressure from NATO allies like Germany and Italy to increase military spending as Russia continues its aggression towards Ukraine.
The French government has also been accused of not doing enough to support Ukrainian forces fighting against Russian aggression.
Overall, France’s decision highlights its commitment towards strengthening its military capabilities while working closely with its NATO allies towards ensuring security across Europe