The initial order was placed in December 2022 through a joint acquisition involving Eurosam—a Franco-Italian joint venture of MBDA and Thales—on behalf of France and Italy. This was later supplemented in February 2025 by an additional contract, including the United Kingdom, to produce nearly 1,000 ASTER missiles.
This latest delivery marks the first step in a broader effort to speed up production, reflecting investments made by MBDA and its industrial partners. The move aims to strengthen Europe’s air defence systems and resilience amid evolving threats.
MBDA confirmed that it is on track to reduce ASTER missile production lead-times by more than half by 2026 compared to 2022. The company also plans to deliver five times more ASTER missiles in 2025 than originally scheduled.
Eric Béranger, CEO of MBDA, stated: “The delivery of the first ASTER missiles that benefited from significantly reduced production times is a success for all MBDA teams. I thank them for their ongoing efforts, as well as the industrial partners and State actors involved.”
He added: “It demonstrates our commitment to working alongside our customers to ensure the ramp-up of our industrial facilities and the strengthening of our defence industrial and technological base. This acceleration will provide Italian, French and British armed forces with essential air defence systems to protect European skies, as demonstrated by the use of ASTER in the Red Sea and Ukraine, and increase NATO’s defence capabilities.”
MBDA began implementing measures in 2024 to accelerate the delivery of previously ordered missiles. These steps were reinforced with the February 2025 order, further driving efforts across France, Italy, and the UK.
To support this ramp-up, MBDA has invested heavily in its production facilities in Bourges and Selles-Saint-Denis in France, and in Fusaro, Italy. The company has also expanded recruitment, strengthened material stocks, and enhanced its European value chain.
Between 2023 and 2025, MBDA will have doubled overall missile production. Looking ahead, the Group plans to invest €2.4 billion between 2025 and 2029 to sustain and grow its production capacity further.
