---
title: "France bets on hypersonics: DGA signs contract for the ASN4G nuclear missile"
description: "France has officially launched the program to create the ASN4G hypersonic nuclear missile. The DGA chose to bet on supersonic speed and maneuverability instead of stealth technologies to bypass modern air defense systems. 🚀🇫🇷"
date: 2026-06-17T05:14:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/france-signs-contract-for-creation-of-hypersonic-nuclear-missile-asn4g-en
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# France bets on hypersonics: DGA signs contract for the ASN4G nuclear missile

![Concept art of the French hypersonic nuclear missile ASN4G, developed under a DGA contract](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/17/frantsiya-podpisala-kontrakt-na-sozdanie-giperzvukovoy-yadernoy-rakety-asn4g/frantsiya-podpisala-kontrakt-na-sozdanie-giperzvukovoy-yadernoy-rakety-asn4g-1.webp)

The French General Directorate for Armaments (DGA) has officially signed a contract with defense giant MBDA for the development and production of a new generation nuclear cruise missile — the ASN4G. This event marks a key stage in the country's long-term plan to modernize its strategic deterrent.

The new weapon system is designed to fully replace the current ASMPA-R model. Although existing missiles continue to perform their tasks effectively, French military strategists insist on their replacement. The main driver for this change is the rapid improvement of air defense systems worldwide, as well as lessons learned from the Russian-Ukrainian war.

### The choice in favor of hypersonics

During the design phase, engineers considered two fundamentally different concepts. The first option focused on "stealth" technologies and the use of a ramjet engine to minimize radar visibility. The second option focused on extreme hypersonic speed and ultra-high maneuverability in flight.

Ultimately, the developers chose the hypersonic path. The combination of ultra-high speed with the ability to change trajectory in the air significantly reduces the warning time for the adversary. This makes radar tracking difficult and renders interception by modern anti-missile systems practically impossible.

### Technical specifications and prospects

Experts suggest that the new missile is equipped with a supersonic ramjet (scramjet) engine. This will allow it to significantly outperform the current ASMPA-R missile, which reaches speeds of about Mach 3 and has a range of up to 500 kilometers.

The main carrier of the new hypersonic weapon will be the future French Rafale F5 fighter jet. The entry into service of the updated aircraft version is planned for 2030, while the ASN4G missile itself is expected to officially enter the Air Force inventory around 2035.

### Thémis Demonstrator

Parallel to the signing of the contract, the military department released the first official image related to the Thémis technology demonstrator. The photo shows a winged vehicle rising into the sky with the help of two rocket boosters.

Details of these tests, as well as their exact location and time, remain strictly classified. However, the agency emphasized that the implementation of the program is a "huge technological breakthrough, relying on unique industrial skills available to only a few countries in the world".