I'm not speculating anything. I'm just pointing out that MBDA indicated in their press release that the Aster 15 Naval will equip 6 ships in a foreign navy. No one else uses the Aster 15 naval system other than specified in the press release. By logical assumption, the Aster 15 naval system will equip all 6 ships of the RSN because there is no other navy that falls under that category with that number of ships equipped with the Aster.
Yes, I know you are`nt which is why i said that is what is known officially thus far. However, I pointed out in my previous posts that 200 Aster 15 missiles would not be enough to accomodate all 11 ships. At the mentioned current 32 vls cells per ship, the 6 formidable class ships alone would need a minimum of 256 missiles.
Hence, these navies would be making further orders of the Aster missiles and possibly slyver launchers (A43 or A50)as well. They could be Aster 30 missiles and slyver A50 launchers. If you take a look at the Al-sawari class ships, each ship is armed with just 16 Aster 15 missiles or 16 vls cells with the capacity to accomodate more in the future. The same applies to the Formidable which can accomodate more than 32 vls cells.
The press releases were in 2001 and 2002. Sure, the RSN may have changed their minds but that's speculation and very unlikely. Contract provisions rarely work that way. The Formidable was launched in 2002, 2 more in 2003 etc. At the same time, MBDA may of course be lying
Also, the Mindef fact sheet indicated that the system was similar to the CDG. They could have indicated it as similar to the Horizons etc but they didn't.
The old contracts could have been fully exercised and new ones negotiated seeing as such SAF buys her wares in batches. As mentioned, the RSN obviously has not bought all the slyver launchers and Asters at one go. Newer orders may not be reflected as the press releases which were made nearly 6-7 years ago.
Well, we are all to familiar with how charitable Mindef has been with the release of information are we not ?
I think many would like to see the A70 launchers in the Formidables but that didn't happen. Haven't read anything that remotely suggest otherwise.
How could it happen when it is`nt even ready and for sale? The idea of RSN equipping her frigates with Aster 15 missiles/A43(or A50) launchers first and later the A70 launchers is`nt too far fetched.(assuming the A70 launchers can be fitted on board the ship).
You buy the launchers in packs of 8 vls cells and have it installed on the ship on the designated deck space. It does not mean that if a designated deck space has space for 48 cells(i.e 6 8-celled launchers), you`ll put all 6 launchers there immediately. You could, in the case of some navies around the world, reserve the space for future growth.
