Aerospatiale unveiled a mock-up of one of the many ASLP (air-sol longue’ portée: long-range air-to- surface) missile designs it has studied in association with the Direction des engins (French missile directorate). This missile, currently at the pre-development stage, is mainly intended to replace the ASMP which has been in French service since 1986 as the airborne component of the French strategic nuclear force and could be adopted by the UK, depending on the result of current negotiations.
The ASLP could also be used as a long-range conventional cruise missile. Current plans envisage the ASLP equipping the ACT and ACM versions of the Rafale, each aircraft being capable of carrying one missile on the centreline hard point or one under each wing. The ASLP uses a ramjet plus solid-propellant motor which enables it to travel at speeds close to Mach 3.5 over distances of 1,000 to 1,500km. The missile is completely autonomous, with a terminal phase programmable to any threat defenses. The ASLP flies at very low altitude and is expected to be accurate to within a few metres, due to its ability to navigate to its target by autonomous course correction in free flight. The radar-absorbent configuration and materials are designed to give the ASLP the greatest possible stealth capability. The navigation and guidance systems must also be hardened against possible countermeasures. Its speed, manoeuvrability, low-altitude flight, stealth and resistance to countermeasures will enable the missile to penetrate even the densest defenses.
Another approach being considered is to develop a derivative of the ASLP capable of flying at very-high altitude to prevent it being detected by early-warning aircraft.