EUROSAM, the European manufacturer of anti-air missiles, moves forward with the manufacturing of the SAMP/T NG (New Generation) land-based air defense missile system, Eva Bruxmeier, the Managing Director of Eurosam, disclosed to defensehere.com.
According to Bruxmeier, the system will first be delivered to the French and Italian armies by the end of the 2025, then deliveries to international customers will begin as of 2026.
SAMP/T is a theatre antimissile system designed to protect the battlefield and sensitive tactical sites (such as airports and sea ports) against all current and future airborne threats, including cruise missiles, manned and unmanned aircraft and tactical ballistic missiles in the 600 km range class.
The system comprises a fire control system based on the ARABEL multi-function electronic scanning radar and a Vertical Ground Launcher mounted on Italian Astra/iveco and French Renault-KERAX 8×8 trucks and capable of firing eight missile in rapid sequence.
MBDA France, MBDA Italy, and Thales consortium Eurosam has been developing the SAMP/T air defense system upgrade “SAMP/T NG” since 2021.
SAMP/T NG is the new generation of SAMP/T system that is today in service. SAMP/T NG is designed to protect armed forces and sensitive civil or military sites but also to become a strategic system.
The SAMP/T NG will be able to provide a 360-degree protection, detect further than 350 km and intercept beyond 150 km air-breathing targets as well as detecting and intercepting maneuvering ballistic missile of range beyond 600 km.
SAMP/T NG is designed so that it can be quickly deployed with a limited number of personnel and integrated easily in an air-defense network and being employed intensively with limited support.
SAMP/T NG battery has four main components; up to 48 Aster missiles ready to fire, one multi-function radar (GF300 or KGM HP), one engagement module (battery C2) and up to 6 launchers capable of carrying 8 missiles each.
EUROSAM was established in June 1989 by three major European aerospace companies (Aerospatiale and Alenia which were to be eventually involved in the merger process which resulted in MBDA’s formation and Thomson-CSF known today as Thales).
This cooperation, enlarged to the UK in 1996, has experienced export successes, both in naval and land configurations.
EUROSAM is the industrial prime contractor and system design authority for the development, production, marketing and sales of the Aster missile-based range of medium and long range naval and ground-launched air defence systems under the aegis of the FSAF programme (Famille de missiles Sol-Air Futurs or Future Surface-to-Air Family of missiles).