The Aster Block 1 ABM test is being claimed to be successful - do you have any links to prove otherwise?  As to the last remark about hitting sheds, well, we talked about this earlier and you'd said that the missile had passed close enough to the target to be judged a successful hit and then dropped out of control. From my point of view, that'd be a successful test - as in reality the thing would have gone off with a bang and anything it did after a theoretical hit isn't perhaps so relevant.

I know you're claiming the distance that the missile passed on that occasion wasn't close enough to kill the target but that's a different issue entirely.  Aster has demonstrated hit to kill shots on several occasions by now and the admirality technical board that sat after the two test failures in RN hands seemed satisfied that the thing can do the job.

Any evidence it can't?

Ian

 

 

Different test (Sardinia not the French range) and it was no where near the drone when it hit the shed.

 

And the test we did discuss I said that ASTER failed to function as it actually did as the drone SURVIVED to fly through the merge still under control. Remember the scratches on the drone's wings at an impact speed that should have destroyed it?

 

That is a FAIL.

 

H. 

  ..

 

H.

 

 

 

  .    

 

 

"Explosions did not equal kills of the missile targets (SCUD and Exoxcet emulators) at all."

 

1) Tests at the ranges are almost never done with explosive charges in the missile, they carry a telemetry payload.

2) Since you claim to have inside info, can you tell us what was used to "emulate" a SCUD in the latest test? (bonus point if you can give us the launch platform)

 

That is a true kinetic non-explosive KILL and shows what a strike is supposed to do to a drone at those speeds. A graze is a FAIL no matter the missile tested.  

A weapon proof is also .always a LIVE weapon.

 

 Failure.

 

Rafael Black Sparrow missile. Fired from an F-15 no less.

 

H.

 

 

 

 

So, what are you saying? SM2, ESSM and SM6 are all failures because they have proximity warheads? PAC-3 is a hit to kill warhead, in common with SM3 but they're almost an exception, almost everything else that's fired has a proximity fused warhead. If it gets close, it works. Graze = kill.

Ian

 

When the warhead fusing functions properly, Stobie. I thought the short and long miss comments were OBVIOUS.

it does depend on the test conditions/parameters

 

eg even if a missile is a kinetic kill, the test conditions may be proximity based to test outcomes and impact on sensors of the test target.

 

eg @ 20m proximity what was effect spray, do target elements need hardening etc...

 

sometimes weapons tests are also about testing survivability of the target

 

not saying that this is the case in this instance, buts something worth considering if test conditions are undeclared.