According to the French Ambassador to Ukraine Etienne de Poncins, France and Italy will provide Ukraine with a modern SAMP/T mobile anti-aircraft defence weapon.
According to the French ambassador"s statement, which dates from November 9 but whose report was not published until December 13, all indications are that this medium-range system, developed by MBDA and Thales as part of the missile-based joint venture Eurosam, will be sent.
"France and Italy will provide Ukraine with the anti-aircraft defence instruments that it has requested," Etienne de Poncins said. "President Zelensky made a strong request, and the Italians confirmed that they would grant it. So we can meet their requirements."
Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov mentioned the SAMP/T delivery plan in an interview with Le Monde on December 9. "We"re requesting SAMP/T and the Franco-Italian Mamba system," he said.
A typical SAMP-T battery consists of an Arabel X-band radar, IFF, fire control, and launchers. The Aster 30 Block 1 and Block 1 NT two-stage solid-propellant missiles may reach a speed up to Mach 4.1, and eight missiles can be fired from each launcher in ten seconds.
