Air-sol moyenne portée
The air-sol moyenne portée (ASMP; "medium-range air to surface missile") is a French nuclear air-launched cruise missile manufactured by MBDA France. In French nuclear doctrine, it is referred to as a "pre-strategic" weapon, the last-resort "warning shot" prior to a full-scale employment of strategic nuclear weapons launched from the Triomphant-class ballistic missile submarines. The missile's development was undertaken by Aérospatiale's Tactical Missile Division, now part of MBDA.
| ASMP | |
|---|---|
| Type | Medium-range supersonic stand-off nuclear missile |
| Place of origin | France |
| Service history | |
| In service | May 1986–present |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Aérospatiale Matra MBDA France ArianeGroup (ASN4G) |
| Manufacturer | MBDA France ArianeGroup |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 860 kg (1,900 lb) |
| Length | 5.38 m (17.7 ft) |
| Diameter | 380 mm (15 in) |
| Warhead | TN 81 nuclear warhead, variable yield 100 to 300 kilotons of TNT (420 to 1,260 TJ) |
| Engine | liquid-fuel ramjet |
Operational range | 300 km (190 mi) (more than 500 km (310 mi) for ASMP-A version) |
| Maximum speed | up to Mach 3 Mach 4-8 (ASN4G) |
Launch platform |
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The ASMP entered service in May 1986. The development of an upgraded version, the ASMP-A, was launched in 1997 and the missile entered service in 2009. In 2016, yet another modernization program, the ASMPA-R, was launched. The first firing test of the ASMPA-R took place in December 2021 and the second in March 2022.
The ASN4G air-launched hypersonic cruise missile under development as of 2023 is expected to replace the ASMP in the pre-strategic nuclear deterrence role from 2035 onwards.