According to information published by the International press agency Reuter on January 26, 2023, France and Italy are in the final stage of the supply of one SAMP/T air defense missile system to Ukraine. There is no final decision yet, as some technical issues still need to be resolved.
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TEL Transporter Erector Launcher truck of SAMP/T air defense missile system. (Picture source Army Recognition)
French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu was in Italy on Friday, January 27, 2023, was in Italy to meet his Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto to talk and push the delivery of one battery of the SAMP/T air defense missile system to Ukraine.
Ukraine continues to request more air defense systems following numerous air attacks by Russian forces against civilian and military targets. Indeed, in recent days, Russia has intensified these airstrikes. Russia also fired more missiles and self-exploding drones at nearly a dozen Ukrainian provinces, on Thursday, January 26, 2023.
The United States and European countries have already delivered a large number of air defense systems to Ukraine but this is not enough.
Last week, the United States, Germany, and the Netherlands agreed on the delivery of Patriot air defense missile systems to Ukraine. However, it will take time due to logistical issues and the need for Ukrainian soldiers to receive training.
The SAMP/T (Surveillance, Acquisition, and Missile Projection/Track) is a medium-range air-defense system designed to protect military forces against air threats, including aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and cruise missiles. It is developed by the European consortium Eurosam and features a multi-mission radar, a command and control system, and the Aster 30 missile. SAMP/T has been in use by several European countries, including France, Italy, and Greece.
The SAMP/T can detect and track incoming aircraft, including fighter jets and bombers. It can be also used to intercept and destroy UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), and ballistic and cruise missiles.
The Aster 30 missile has the capability to intercept targets at altitudes from 50 m to 20 km. against aircraft targets flying at altitudes above 3 km, the maximum range of the Aster 30 is 100 km. At aircraft targets with altitudes below 3 km, the range of Aster 30 is 50 km. This range is determined by the capabilities of the Aster 30 missile, which is the primary air-defense weapon used in the SAMP/T system. The system's multi-mission radar and command and control system work together to detect and track incoming threats, and the Aster 30 missile is then launched to intercept and destroy the target.
