Italy is considering donating a SAMP/T SAM system to Ukraine
ROME ($1=0.97 Euros) — Our source in Italy says that the government in Rome is discussing a donation to Kyiv. It is about the SAMP/T surface-to-air anti-aircraft missile system. The information at the moment is an assumption based on comments among the political circles in Rome after the inauguration of the new government of Italy with Prime Minister Mrs. Giorgia Meloni.
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BulgarianMilitary.com recalls that yesterday Spain decided to deliver another anti-aircraft missile system to Ukraine – Raytheon MIM-23 HAWK. As many international analysts and military experts say, Ukraine needs an air defense system that can successfully reflect Russian air attacks and bombings carried out by the warplanes of the Russian Air and Space Forces [VKS]. Many times the President of Ukraine Mr. Volodymyr Zelensky has also asked for similar help from the allies.
SAMP/T is a European anti-aircraft missile system manufactured and supplied by the Eurosam company. This is a joint venture between MBDA France, Thales France, and MBDA Italy. For this system to be donated from Italy to Ukraine, Rome must request permission from Paris.
The question remains whether France will allow Italy to send this missile system to Ukraine. BulgarianMilitary.com recalls that France once denied that the SAMP/TP ended up in Ukraine, saying that it was a “misunderstanding” and Paris had no intention of sending this air defense system to the front.
SAMP/T is a Surface-to-Air Medium-Range/Land-based system. It is also known under the name Aster 30. The system works as a network of radars, with an integrated 3D phased array radar. The manufacturer says that this particular radar is highly effective against enemy aircraft, tactical ballistic missiles, standoff missiles, cruise missiles, or anti-radiation missiles.
SAMP/T can intercept enemy air objects at a distance of 600 km from the geolocation of the location of the anti-aircraft missile system. However, the operational range of the Aster 30 Block 1 missile launched by SAMP/T is up to 150 km. The Aster 30 reaches a maximum flight speed of Mach 4.5 and can fly at a maximum altitude of 20 km. The missile’s guidance system is built as a combination of inertial guidance with up-link plus an active RF seeker.
If the rumors turn out to be true and Italy sends the SAMP/T it will significantly improve Ukraine’s anti-aircraft capabilities. Although the skies above Ukraine are mostly dominated by Russia at a ratio of 10:1, it is the air defense systems of the Ukrainian armed forces that are the reason why Russian aircraft do not have air superiority.
Italy is one of the European countries that provide Ukraine with military aid, supplying weapons. Italy supplied the Ukrainians with MILAN portable anti-tank missile systems some time ago. This happened in April this year, and a month later it sent its FH70 towed howitzers to Ukraine.
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