France and Italy Unveil State-of-the-Art SAMP/T NG Air Defense Missile System at Eurosatory 2024.

At the Eurosatory defense exhibition on June 19, 2024, France and Italy jointly unveiled the advanced SAMP/T NG system. This state-of-the-art air defense system represents a significant advancement, showcasing the robust collaboration between the two nations. Initially designed to manage the ASTER family of munitions, including the ASTER 30 B1 and ASTER 30 B1NT, the SAMP/T NG is equipped to engage long-range air threats and autonomously counter ballistic missiles.
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Unveiling the SAMP/T NG system at Eurosatory 2024, showcasing its advanced capabilities to engage long-range air threats and counter ballistic missiles autonomously. (Picture source: Eurosam)

The SAMP/T NG (Surface-to-Air Missile Platform/Terrain New Generation) is an advanced air defense system produced by Eurosam, a Franco-Italian consortium. This consortium includes major defense industry players MBDA France, MBDA Italy, and Thales. Eurosam was established to develop and produce advanced missile systems for ground and naval air defense, and the SAMP/T NG is a significant result of their collaborative efforts.

The development of the SAMP/T NG system began in 2021 under the European Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR). The system is designed to provide comprehensive 360-degree protection against a wide range of air threats, including ballistic missiles and supersonic targets. It features upgraded Aster missiles and advanced radars, such as the Leonardo Kronos Grand Mobile High Power for Italy and the Thales Ground Fire 300 for France. These enhancements make the SAMP/T NG a critical component in ensuring airspace sovereignty and the protection of both military forces and civilian areas for France and Italy​.

The latest enhancements of the SAMP/T NG extend its capabilities beyond its original design. It now features a multirange and multilayer capacity through SHORAD Vertical Launchers, providing comprehensive protection against a wide spectrum of air threats such as MTO, drones, ABT, and TBM. This advanced configuration makes the SAMP/T NG a fully scalable system capable of countering saturating and combined attacks, positioning it as the only European system that integrates various effectors within the full NATO operative ABT/TBM chain

The SAMP/T NG is an advanced air defense system developed through a collaboration between France and Italy. Initially designed to manage the ASTER family of munitions, including ASTER 30 B1 and ASTER 30 B1NT, the system is capable of engaging long-range air threats and autonomously countering ballistic missiles.

The SAMP/T NG extends its capabilities by incorporating a multirange and multilayer capacity with SHORAD Vertical Launchers, providing comprehensive protection against a wide range of air threats such as manned tactical operations (MTO), drones, aerial ballistic threats (ABT), and tactical ballistic missiles (TBM). This scalability allows the SAMP/T NG to effectively counter complex and combined attack scenarios, making it unique in Europe for integrating various effectors within the full NATO operative air and ballistic threat management chain.

A key component of the SAMP/T NG is the Module of Engagement New Generation (ME NG), featuring an open architecture that facilitates the integration of multifunction firing radars like Thales Ground Fire and Leonardo Kronos Grand Mobile High Power. The system can manage up to six ASTER launchers, each equipped with eight missiles, as well as up to six Short-Range Air Defence (SHORAD) launchers, including VL MICA or CAMM-ER, and Very Short-Range Air Defence (V-SHORAD) assets.

Furthermore, the SAMP/T NG is designed for integration into NATO Tactical Control Chains and Command Chains, ensuring coordination with upper layer Command and Control centers. Developed in partnership between Thales and MBDA Italia, the ME NG's common core hardware and software architecture allows for national-specific requirements and the coordination of different weapon systems and munitions, enhancing its operational flexibility and effectiveness.