ASN4G

Air-Sol Nucléaire de 4ème Génération (ASN4G)
TypeAir-launched cruise missile
Hypersonic weapon
Place of originFrance
Service history
In service2035 (expected)
Used byFrench Air Force
French Navy
Production history
DesignerMBDA France

The ASN4G (Air-Sol Nucléaire de 4ème Génération) is a French nuclear-armed, scramjet-powered, air-launched hypersonic cruise missile under development by MBDA France, assisted by the ONERA.[1][2][3][4][5] It is intended to succeed the ASMP in the pre-strategic deterrence role from 2035 onwards. Technological work on this successor began in the early 1990s and the programme's existence was officially confirmed in 2014 by French defense minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian.[6][7][8][9]

The ASN4G is due for integration on the Rafale F5 fighter under development as well as its successor, the Next Generation Fighter (NGF) derived from the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme.[10][11] The new missile is expected to have more than twice the range of the current ASMPA-R, thus significantly superior to 1,000 kilometres (600 mi).[12][13][14]

  1. ^ "Rafale standard F5 : premières commandes notifiées aux industriels". defense.gouv. 9 October 2024.
  2. ^ "Drone furtif, missile nucléaire hypersonique: ce que l'on sait des innovations du futur cyber Rafale". bfmtv.com. 9 October 2024.
  3. ^ "Counting the cost of deterrence: France's nuclear recapitalisation".
  4. ^ Timothy Wright (May 2022). "Hypersonic Missile Proliferation: An Emerging European Problem?" (PDF). nonproliferation.eu. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Onera Explores Mach-8 Missile Engine Technology". 8 August 2017.
  6. ^ "MBDA en dit un peu plus sur l'ASN4G, le futur missile de la composante aéroportée de la dissuasion française" (in French). 12 March 2023.
  7. ^ "Le futur missile de la composante aéroportée de la dissuasion française : l'ASN4G" (in French). 13 March 2023.
  8. ^ "L'ASN4G sera le futur missile des forces aériennes stratégiques". 21 November 2014.
  9. ^ Bruno Tertrais (1 June 2015). "Deterrence according to François Hollande" (PDF). frstrategie.org. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  10. ^ "Rafale standard F5 : premières commandes notifiées aux industriels". defense.gouv. 9 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Drone furtif, missile nucléaire hypersonique: ce que l'on sait des innovations du futur cyber Rafale". bfmtv.com. 9 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Former procurement official joins MBDA as France eyes new munitions". 8 December 2017.
  13. ^ "ASMP/-A Nuclear Cruise Missile: The Development and Capabilities". 4 December 2020.
  14. ^ "Quel avion pour emporter le futur missile nucléaire hypersonique des Forces aériennes stratégiques?". 8 March 2018.