Reply #1: Thank you Mr Frist, but would you buy ASTER instead

[tocqueville]

because this one works

http://www.netmarine.net/armes/aster/indexe.htm

Self-protection for navies, with the Aster 15 Naval stem-ming from the SAAM surface-to-air antimissile missile due to be commissioned aboard the Charles de Gaulle nuclear carrier in 2000. The role of the Aster 15 SAAM is to widen the scope of the traditional naval point defense missile system (winch could be described as an ultimate short/ultrashort-range defense against antiship missiles) to include self-protection at extended ranges up to 30km, plus area defense to cover a neighboring vessel.
Ground area defense, using the SAMP/T medium-range SAM Aster 30 missile. The aim is to expand the area defense capability to include countering all known rnodern missiles.
Local and area naval defense, using the Aster 30 Naval missile from the Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS) due to equip the Horizon air defense frigates. Its combines the capabilides of these last two missiles and provides a naval weapon system unique in the world, able to perform three différent rmssion profiles: self-defense, local defense to cover a neighboring ship, and naval area defense. The Aster, moreover, was designed from the outset to allow a dedicated version to provide expanded air defense against tactical ballistic missiles.

This last was further confirmed on November 13,1997 by the interception of a surface-skimmer in an extrernely dense ECM environment. The warhead had not been installed for this test to allow better visualization of the miss-distance and permit recovery of the target. So there was great surprise when the recovered C-22 was found to have two deep gashes caused by the Aster's fins! Thus 'hit-to-kill' turned out to be 'hit-to-kiss', to use the expression the Aerospatiale team lost no time in adopting. Had the warhead been installed, the target would have been totallv vanorized without the shadow of a doubt.

On 30 December 1997. It involved the first qualification firing an Aster 30 against a real target. The Aster intercepted C-22 traveling at 900km an altitude of about 36,500 ft at a range of 30 km. In the terminal stage of its flight Aster climbed to an altitude of 50,000 ft before diving onto its prey at a spet 28800 kph, registering a miss-distance of less than 4m!