PARIS — France has signed Dec. 23 a contract for the Aster Block 1 New Technology program, launching an expected upgrade of the Aster surface-to-air missile, expanding its intercept range, the French ...

Key point: Europe may be behind in higher-level missile defense, but its Aster system is actually similar to the Patriot missile battery. The question is whether European states can successfully build ...

Here’s What You Need to Know: Eurosam is working on an Aster Block 2 missile designed to fly nearly four times as high at over 230,000 feet. This new hit-to-kill exo-atmospheric interceptor would be ...