Singapore confirms deployment of Aster 30 SAMP/T medium range surface to air missile system

 

Min. Ng while inspecting the Aster-30 SAMP/T system. Photo c/o The Straits Times / Timothy David.

Singapore's Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen confirmed that the MBDA Aster-30 Surface to Air Missile Platform/Terrain (SAMP/T) medium-range ground based air defense system of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has been deployed conducting "round the clock" air defense operations since August 2020.

The system has also been integrated with the RSAF's Island Air Defence System network, which was designed to counter airborne threats including fighter and attack aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and precision munitions.

Minister Ng witnessed an Aster-30  deployment drill on 17 December 2020 at the Lim Chu Kang Camp II, where he mentioned that the new system could help reduce the threats to the small size, densely populated country.

It is expected that the Aster-30 SAMP/T system, which were delivered in 2018, would serve the RSAF in the next 2 decades.

The Aster-30 SAMP/T has an interception range of at least 70 kilometres, and were delivered to the RSAF in 2018 to replace its older Raytheon MIM-23B Improved Homing All the Way Killer (I-HAWK) system that has been heavily improved and has been in service for more than 30 years with the RSAF's 163 Squadron.

The Island Air Defence System integrates the Aster-30 SAMP/T system with other air defense assets including the Multi-Mission Radar, the Gulfstream G550 Airborne Early Warning Aircraft, and the shorter-range SPYDER-SR short range air defense system.

The Aster-30 can be controlled via the use of a combat management system developed locally by the RSAF and the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), improving operations and response times, while reducing operator workload.



[1] The Straits Times
[2] Jane's