France Doubles Aster Missile Capacity on FDI Frigates From 16 to 32
At Euronaval 2026 France’s defence procurement agency DGA finalised an order with Naval Group and MBDA to raise the number of Aster missiles carried by its Defence and Intervention Frigates (FDI) from 16 to 32, according to a DGA statement of Nov. 6, 2026.
What the order delivers
The DGA says the increase strengthens the lethality and resilience of the FDI and the frigates’ ability to protect forces in high-intensity conflict. Naval News reports that the arrangement builds the last two ships with 32 cells and retrofits the first three later; that detail comes from the French National Assembly’s defence committee in 2025 budget talks and is not in the DGA statement.
Aster 15 and Aster 30
- Aster 15: range above 30 km; used against sea-skimming anti-ship missiles and aircraft.
- Aster 30: range above 120 km; the most advanced versions add ballistic-missile defence.
- Aster arms the carrier Charles de Gaulle, the Horizon frigates, the multi-mission frigates and the FDI.
The FDI programme
The DGA has ordered five FDI in total. The lead ship, Amiral Ronarc’h, was delivered to the French Navy in October 2025. The DGA also describes the FDI as an export success.
Not disclosed
- The financial value of the order
- The timeline for completing the capacity increase
- Which ships are modified at which stage (not in the DGA statement)
Sources: DGA statement, Nov. 6, 2026; Naval News, Nov. 7, 2026.
