Rheinmetall Asteria

History

The Asteria is a smart multi-influence naval mine developed by Rheinmetall, with manufacturing, supply, and operational support handled by its subsidiary RMW Italia, the competence centre for underwater defence systems. The mine was first publicly presented by RMW Italia at the Indo Pacific 2022 trade fair alongside the Murena. On 29 August 2023, Australia announced an order with Rheinmetall for intelligent naval mines valued in the three-digit million euro range, with deliveries scheduled to begin that year; the exact type and quantity were not published. In October 2026, photographs taken during a demonstration at Anduril Australia's Sydney facility, attended by Australian Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy, showed cylindrical objects alongside the Ghost Shark unmanned underwater vehicle that have been identified through imagery analysis as Asteria mines; this photographic identification remains distinct from an official confirmation of the fleet's final mine configuration.

Specifications

The Asteria has a 533 mm diameter, a length of almost three metres, and a maximum weight of approximately 1,050 kilograms. It can carry up to 600 kg of explosives and operates at depths of 5 to 300 metres, with a programmable immersion life of up to one year.

The multi-influence fuze reacts to acoustic, magnetic, pressure, seismic (vibrations), electric-field, and optical stimuli, supporting selective engagement logic intended to distinguish targets. The mine can be remotely armed and safely activated via an acoustic link. Optional acoustic remote control and selective processing may offer additional management possibilities. The Asteria is designed to STANAG 4187 (Fuzing System) and STANAG 4439 (Insensitive Munition) safety standards.

The mine can be deployed from surface vessels, cargo planes, and submarines (from torpedo tubes). Within the Ghost Shark programme, the platform is reported to have a capacity of up to 12 sea mines per sortie.