France has announced the deployment of a replacement radar for Ukraine’s SAMP/T air defense system, ensuring continued operational capability while one radar unit undergoes repairs, as Kyiv faces persistent aerial threats.
According to French Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Minister Catherine Vautrin, the measure is part of a broader support framework to sustain Ukraine’s SAMP/T readiness. Radar availability remains linked to production capacity, she explained, prompting coordination with MBDA to repair the damaged unit while supplying a temporary replacement.
To meet rising demand, MBDA reportedly doubled missile production between 2024 and 2025 to support the SAMP/T program and other air defense platforms. President Emmanuel Macron has previously indicated that additional SAMP/T systems could be transferred to Ukraine from 2026, reflecting France’s strategic, long-term support for Ukrainian air defense infrastructure.
The SAMP/T system, developed by the Eurosam consortium led by MBDA and Thales, is a long-range air defense platform integrating advanced multifunction radars with Aster missiles, including the Aster 30 interceptor. The system is capable of engaging aircraft, cruise missiles, and tactical ballistic missiles, while tracking and intercepting multiple threats simultaneously with high accuracy.
France and Italy are the core operators of the SAMP/T, with both nations procuring next-generation variants offering enhanced range and engagement performance. Deliveries to the French Air and Space Force and the Italian Army are scheduled to begin in early 2026, followed by structured operational evaluations.
Italy has already deployed SAMP/T systems to Lithuania under NATO’s rotational air defense model and confirmed future deployments to Estonia. Ukraine received its first Italian-supplied SAMP/T system in 2023 after completing operator training. In 2025, Denmark selected the SAMP/T NG as part of a major national air defense acquisition, expanding the system’s adoption beyond its original European operators.
