June 13, 2015
PARIS, June 12 (UPI) – The French military has conducted a successful unit evaluation firing of its air-launched Rafale /ASMPA nuclear cruise missile weapon system.
The Air-Sol Moyenne Portée – Amélioré missile, by MBDA, is an enhanced variant of the ASMP which entered service is 1986. The ASMP has a range of between 50 and 186 miles. It is being replaced by the ASMPA as France’s primary air-launched nuclear weapon.
A two-seat Rafale fighter of the 01/091 “Gascogne” Fighter Squadron took off from Saint-Dizier’s Air Base 113 on Thursday for a test that brought together all the characteristic phases of an airborne nuclear strike mission which culminated with the firing a ASMPA missile – without a nuclear warhead – at its target at the Missile Test Center in Biscarrosse, the Ministry of Defense said.
Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian “extends his warm congratulations to all the women and men of the Strategic Air Forces, the Directorate General of Armaments and of the companies who contributed to this success,” the ministry said.
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