Irina Pogorelaya11:26, 01/28/23

The SAMP/T system is highly accurate, optimized not only against aircraft, but also missiles flying at speeds exceeding the speed of sound, and maneuvering in the last stages of an attack.

The authorities of Italy and France will jointly order a large batch of 700 Aster-30 missiles, which will cost 2 billion euros, for the Franco-Italian SAMP / T air defense system , which will be provided to Kiev.

According to the French publication  l’Opinion , part of the missiles will remain in Italy and France, and how many of them will be provided to Ukraine is not yet known. The publication clarified that an agreement on the large-scale purchase of Aster-30 missiles was reached on January 27 during the visit of French Defense Minister Sebastian Lecornu to Rome.

“We shared a common will to continue to support Ukraine, to secure the Mediterranean in the face of new threats and to build up common production capabilities, in particular in the field of air defense,”  Lecornu commented on  the agreement

It is specified that the SAMP / T air defense system, created by a joint Franco-Italian consortium, can track dozens of targets and intercept 10 at the same time and is the only European-made system that can intercept ballistic missiles

The corresponding agreement was confirmed by the Italian edition of Іlmessaggero . It noted that the SAMP / T air defense system will help fight off aircraft, missiles and drones. This is the most valuable weapon that Italy can give Ukraine, the publication stressed. According to Italian General Leonardo Tricaricio, “the phase of the conflict is such that today Ukraine needs to strengthen its air defense system more than ever.”

“We have seen how the Russians use the most advanced cruise missiles, so the umbrella for these insidious missiles must be as strong as possible. In this context, the contribution that Italy will make will be more valuable than ever,” he commented.

As noted by the publication, the SAMP / T system is very accurate, optimized not only for aircraft, but also for missiles flying at speeds significantly higher than the speed of sound, and maneuvering in the last stages of an attack. At the same time, the publication noted that, due to its complexity and high technology, it is necessary to acquire skills for the Ukrainian military.

SAMP / T SAM for Ukraine

The  Italian government approved the decision to  supply Ukraine with a SAMP / T anti-aircraft missile system battery. According to Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Italy worked with the French on the issue of supplying this air defense system to Ukraine.

The SAMP / T anti-aircraft missile system is a joint Franco-Italian development based on the ASTER 30 interceptor missile and the Arabel radar system. The main advantage of this air defense system is its ability to shoot down ballistic missiles.

(C)UNIAN 2023