The Paseo XLR, this QuickWin of the French Navy against Houthi drones

On December 9, 2023, the French frigate Languedoc (D643), on a mission off the coast of Yemen, used its weapons for the first time to intercept aerial drones launched by the Houthi rebels. This was the first operational use of the Aster anti-aircraft missile, which ended in remarkable success.

Quickly, however, a controversy grew on social networks. Indeed, the Aster 15 missile costs significantly more than the drones used by the Houthis. Furthermore, with only 16 missiles in firing position, Languedoc could quickly find itself without ammunition in the event of a saturation attack launched against it, or the ships being escorted.

The French Navy then justified the use of the missile, explaining that it was necessary to compare not the price of the missile, but that of the protected target, with the price of the drone. However, the observations made at that time remained valid, especially since it is impossible to place new missiles in silos when the ship is at sea. 

The French Navy has not remained inactive on this subject. Indeed, the Alsace frigate, also a FREMM, but specialized in air defense, who relieved Languedoc in the Red Sea a few days ago, arrived in the area with new equipment designed to face this emerging threat, the Paseo XLR electro-optical detection system from French company Safran.

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