The Italian Army has accepted its first SAMP/T NG air defense system, advancing efforts to field a modern, layered air and missile defense structure.
The delivery was made to the Anti-Aircraft Artillery Command in Sabaudia, Lazio, alongside the Grifo short-range air defense system. The handover follows the earlier delivery of Rheinmetall’s Skynex system, which provides close-in air defense protection.
Developed by the EUROSAM consortium of MBDA Italy, MBDA France, and Thales, the SAMP/T NG is a medium-range air defense system capable of countering aircraft, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and emerging hypersonic threats. The system stems from a Franco-Italian development program launched in 2021 and builds on the proven SAMP/T platform.
The new configuration integrates the Aster B1NT interceptor missile, with a range exceeding 150 kilometers, and Leonardo’s Kronos Grand Mobile radar, which offers detection ranges of more than 350 kilometers.
Under current plans, 10 SAMP/T NG systems will be delivered to the Italian Army and Air Force, while eight systems will be fielded by the French Air Force.
The Grifo system, introduced under a 2019 MBDA Italy program, uses the CAMM-ER interceptor to provide short-range air defense against a wide range of aerial threats, including manned aircraft, unmanned systems, cruise missiles, and anti-radiation weapons.
Designed to operate together, the SAMP/T NG and Grifo systems deliver mobile, modular, and fully interoperable capabilities, forming a layered, omnidirectional air and missile defense architecture compatible with both national and NATO networks.
