Defence, Crosetto: 'We have ordered 10 new-generation Samp-T systems. Here's what they are

"Like France, we have moved and ordered 10 Samp/T next-generation systems and are upgrading Aster. The new Aster will be ready, I hope to test it as soon as possible. We have also set our sights on the future and the future defence of our country'. This was announced by Defence Minister Guido Crosetto in his closing speech at the European air and missile defence trade conference, which took place in Rome on Tuesday 17 September. "But is that enough? No. This,' Crosetto added, 'is only a beginning and we are already late because we are not ready to live up to the challenge of the times in which we are given to live. We are slow, and this is not an accusation as I am often told companies, but an observation. We are slow because we live in a world that was built with democratic rules, with welfare, with systems that unfortunately when confronted with authoritarian systems are necessarily losers. We are slower because we have democratic processes, we are less pragmatic because with us something comes from confrontation, because there are rules, because there is no one who decides and imposes rules from morning to night when times change. We have to confront this'.

The 'next-generation' Samp-T referred to by Crosetto is the new multilayer SAMP/T NG air defence system, presented by the EUROSAM consortium (Thales, MBDA France and MBDA Italy) at the Paris show last June. According to EUROSAM, the system was developed in close cooperation between France and Italy. It was originally designed to handle ASTER family ammunition (ASTER 30 B1 and ASTER 30 B1NT). The SAMP/T NG allows it to handle long-range air threats, while offering an autonomous capability against ballistic missiles. In addition to the ASTER capability, the SAMP/T NG will develop a multi-range/multilayer capability (SHORAD vertical launchers) with automatic subordinate protection to deal with the full spectrum of air threats (MTOs, drones, ABTs and TBMs). In this new configuration, the SAMP/T NG is a fully scalable system that can cope with any saturated and combined attack. As such, it is becoming the only European system capable of integrating various effectors into NATO's ABT/TBM operational chain. In particular. the EUROSAM note goes on to say, thanks to the open architecture of its Next Generation Engagement Module (ME NG), the new system will be able to integrate several multi-purpose firing radars such as Thales Ground Fire or Leonardo Kronos Grand Mobile High Power; integrate and manage several launchers. And in particular: up to six ASTER launchers with 8 ready-to-fire missiles (combination of ASTER 30 B1 and B1NT), up to six short-range air defence (SHORAD) launchers such as VL MICA or CAMM-ER launchers. The SAMP/T NG will also be able to handle V-SHORAD assets, and be fully integrated into a NATO tactical control chain and chain of command with higher-level command and control centres.

The Defence Minister addressed the issue of air defence and the availability of SAMP-T systems. 'We have rediscovered the need for air defence,' said Crosetto. 'We had some systems in Italy, fortunately. We have fewer. One is in Ukraine, the second is leaving, it will leave these days for Ukraine, by the end of the month. We have deprived ourselves of an important asset for our defence, but we are convinced that at this moment it is needed more in Ukraine, we hope it will be needed more in Ukraine'.