France and Italy to buy close to 700 Aster missiles

PARIS (Reuters) - France and Italy have signed a contract for buying up to 700 Aster missiles with the aim of strengthening the countries' air defences, said the French Armed Forces ministry.

The defence procurement agencies of the two countries had notified the Franco-Italian consortium Eurosam, which comprises Thales and MBDA, of the contract at the end of last year, the statement added.

(Reporting by Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta)