France confirms SAMP/T air defense system delivery to Ukraine

French President Emanuel Macron confirmed on June 19 that the Franco-Italian SAMP/T medium-range air defense system was supplied to Ukraine.

“I am pleased to report with my Italian colleague Giorgia Meloni that the Franco-Italian SAMP/T is now deployed and operational in Ukraine, where it protects key installations and lives,” Macron said at a speech in Paris during an air defense conference that brought together EU defense ministers, U.S. and NATO military officials, and industry executives.

The SAMP/T, also known as MAMBA, is Europe’s first long-range anti-missile system. It should help Ukraine cope with attacks by Russian drones, missiles and aircraft. With this system, its radar and its launchers are armed with eight Aster missiles with a range of about 100 km.

The SAMP/T is a 21st-century Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) system designed by MBDA to protect sensitive sites and deployed forces against missile threats (TBM, stand-off, cruise missiles, ARM) and aircraft, replacing all existing medium-range ground-to-air systems.

MBDA says the SAMP/T system is developed to meet medium and long-range air defense needs (force projection, protection of high-value areas and area protection). It can operate in stand-alone mode or can be integrated in a co-ordinated network.

The SAMP/T system is part of NATO’s integrated air and missile defense.