PARIS — The Organization for Integrated Military Cooperation in Europe has signed a contract for four SAMP/T NG air defense systems for the Italian military, as the continent’s militaries continue to upgrade their missile defenses.
Amendments to existing framework contracts also include preparation for future serial production of the improved Aster air defense missile for the Italian Army and Navy, the SAMP/T NG system for the French Air Force, and the purchase of additional equipment for mid-term renewal by the UK. It is. OCCAR said in a Feb. 1 statement about the Aster interceptor. European organizations manage defense equipment projects.
In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there is an urgent need for European countries to strengthen their air defense systems and update systems donated to Ukraine. For its European Skyshield initiative, Germany proposed the IRIS-T system from Diehl Defense and US-made Patriot rather than the SAMP/T developed by Thales and missile manufacturer MBDA, provoking French sensitivities.
The global situation “demonstrates the importance of providing upgraded air defense systems so that they can counter increasingly difficult threats,” OCCAR said.
In June, French President Emmanuel Macron warned against rushing the purchase of air defense equipment because buying off-the-shelf equipment would require large amounts of non-European equipment. He said the war in Ukraine was a cruel reminder of the importance of air defense.
In addition to SAMP/T and IRIS-T, European missile air defense systems include the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, known as NASAMS, developed by Kongsberg and Raytheon. All three systems, as well as Patriot, are being supplied to Ukraine.
Kongsberg announced on January 31 that Norway had ordered a new NASAMS launcher and fire distribution center to replace equipment donated to Ukraine for approximately 1.4 billion kroner (US$123 million).
SAMP/T NG is an enhanced version of the system used by the French and Italian armies, equipped with a new generation Aster interceptor and a more powerful multifunctional radar from Thales or Leonardo. According to Eurosam, the French-German joint venture that is the main contractor, the system is scheduled to be delivered from 2025.
In July, OCCAR signed an amendment to the Framework Air Defense Missile Contract, known by its Franco-Italian acronym FSAF-PAAMS, to purchase five SAMP/T NG systems for the Italian Air Force for approximately 700 million euros. .
According to Eurosam, the SAMP/T NG has a detection range of more than 350 kilometers, an interception range of more than 150 kilometers, and can attack multiple targets simultaneously. This system uses MBDA’s Aster missile. It is a 450 kg (992 lb), 4.9 m (16 ft) long, two-stage interceptor missile capable of reaching Mach 4.5 and capable of high-G maneuvers.
A complete SAMP/T NG system includes a 360-degree radar, a command and control module, and up to six launchers each carrying eight Aster 30 missiles, with a battery typically containing 20 Requires a crew of people. Maker. Each launcher allows him to fire 8 missiles within about 10 seconds.
Rudy Ruitenberg is Defense News’ European correspondent. He started his career at Bloomberg News and has experience reporting on technology, commodity markets, and politics.