Ukraine, Zelensky asks Italy for Samp / T air defense systems
The President of Ukraine Zelensky asks Italy for air defense weapons. Rome and Paris could in fact transfer the Samp / t systems. But so far the two countries seem to have no intention
The president of Ukraine urges Italy to send air defense weapons.
“Italy produces anti-aircraft defense systems together with France, Germany and a few others: we hope they can help us”: said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with Corriere della Sera yesterday.
“I think the reference is to the SAMP-T which, moreover, we do not seem willing to give up as well as the French because we do not abound with these systems and are technologically advanced”, the expert Aurelio Giansiracusa of AresDifesa explained to Startmag .
The West is mobilizing to raise Kiev's air defense. The US is expected to deliver the first Nasams anti-aircraft missile systems for air defense to Ukraine this month. German air defense systems IRIS-T are also expected by October. The United States has also already supplied many air defense systems, including Stinting the S-300s, but they are almost sold out. Yesterday Reuters revealed that the United States is considering sending Hawk anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine.
Already on 11 October Zelensky, speaking at the extraordinary G7 summit, appealed to the French and Italian presidents to receive Samp / t anti-aircraft defense systems.
And the following day the fifth arms package from Italy to Ukraine was published in the Official Gazette. As usual, the list of aid provided for in the decree is classified but obviously the Samp / t requested by Kiev are missing.
"Italy will continue to be alongside Ukraine, committed to repelling the Russian invasion, guaranteeing it full support within the framework of the support provided by NATO", reiterated the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, during the speech with which he asked yesterday trust in the Chamber of Deputies.
How will this support materialize?
“France will send from two to four batteries of older Crotale NG which will be replaced by as many SAMP-T batteries which will use Aster 30 NG (New Generation) and later Aster 30 Block 1 NT for anti-missile defense. Italy could sell Aspide systems by now at the end of their operational life which will be replaced by CAMM-ERs in the Army and Air Force departments. But I repeat it is a possibility ”added Giansiracusa.
WHAT IS THE SAMP / T MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM
Samp / t is the European air defense and anti-missile defense system, developed by Italy jointly with France since the 2000s.
It is a latest generation surface-to-air missile system developed by the European consortium Eurosam (made up of the companies Mbda Italia, Mbda Francia and Thales) for Italy and France. The aim is to replace the Hawk missile system. The weapon system is characterized by high tactical and strategic mobility (it can be easily deployed by air, sea and rail).
The Samp / T system is capable of neutralizing Tbm, Tactical Ballistic Missile threats, with engagements at distances up to 100 km.
In the aftermath of the announcement by the United States last June of the dispatch of Norwegian surface-to-air missile systems (Nasams) to Ukraine , which have a range of over 160 kilometers, it was hypothesized that Rome and Paris could contribute precisely to the ground-air system Samp / t.
TRANSFERABLE FROM FRANCE AND ITALY?
So Rome and Paris could transfer the Samp / t systems.
“There are few, very expensive examples: 6 in Italy, 10 in France. They are therefore fundamental for the defense of the national territory. If strictly necessary, Italy could consider selling one, like the French ”explained Repubblica some time ago.
THE EQUIPMENT OF THE ITALIAN ARMY
In fact, the Italian Army is equipped with 5 batteries at the 4th anti-aircraft artillery regiment in Mantua.
Since the system entered service in 2013, the armed force has deployed the Samp / T in multiple operational and training activities. As stated on the army website : “between 2015 and 2016 a Samp / T unit was deployed in Rome for the surveillance of the capital's skies on the occasion of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy; at the same time a second battery operated in Turkey as part of the NATO “Active Fence” operation from June 2016 to December 2019 against tactical ballistic missiles coming from Syrian territory. In addition, Samp / t is included in the NATO Active Layered Theater Ballistic Missile Defense (ALTBMD) program. The latter was born with the aim of carrying out the defense of areas or vital objectives of interest to the Alliance from the missile threat ”.
The current version of Samp / T has cutting-edge capabilities in countering air threats and short-range tactical ballistic missiles.
TURKEY INVOLVEMENT RESUMED
Finally, against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war, the president of Turkey Erdogan reopened the dossier of Ankara's involvement in the Sampt / T project. Indeed, the three countries had already agreed on this cooperation in 2017. Run aground in recent years due to political disagreements.
"The dialogue goes on, there are no problems – said Erdogan at the end of the Italian-Turkish intergovernmental summit in Ankara on 6 July – all three countries are willing to continue along this path". Erdogan also stressed that his country's defense ministry is willing to sign an agreement with Rome on the Samp-T air defense system project as soon as possible.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/innovazione/ucraina-zelensky-chiede-allitalia-i-sistemi-di-difesa-aerea-samp-t/ on Fri, 28 Oct 2022 09:41:02 +0000.