The strategic importance of SAMP/T: the Ukraine War and Transatlantic competition

The aerial threat environment on the Ukrainian battlefield is highly complex. Russia is conducting a multi-vector campaign that combines drone warfare with long-range missile strikes. It also deploys short-range ballistic missiles such as the 9K720 Iskander and the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal, which travel at very high speeds and are difficult to intercept. These attacks are inherently unpredictable, because they vary in frequency and spatio-temporal characteristics.

This evolving threat explains Ukraine’s need for air defence systems designed to intercept multiple high-speed threats and operate effectively under saturation attack conditions. Yet, the systems currently deployed by Ukraine, the IRIS-T SLM and NASAMS, are not optimized to counter ballistic missiles. Their limited upper-layer defense capability has prompted Ukraine to rely on long-range defense systems such as the SAMP/T and the Patriot. They complement shorter-range air defence systems and are better suited to protecting critical infrastructures, including power plants, major cities or command centers against Russian strikes.

SAMP/T v. Patriot: has SAMP/T proved its superiority in the Ukraine war?

The SAMP/T (surface-to-air missile system), also known as MAMBA, is a French-Italian project which is often compared to the US Patriot, in the context of Ukraine but also regarding European air defence. This comparison is logical: they both are long-range air defence systems and have the same mission to intercept aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. But they differ in characteristics (see Table).

While the SAMP/T benefits from faster deployment, lower costs, and more enhanced battlefield maneuverability than the Patriot, its engagement range remains more limited than that of its US counterpart. Both systems were deployed to Ukraine in early 2023 where they demonstrated their operational capabilities. The Patriot was able to intercept a Russian Kinzhal hypersonic missile in May 2023, but revealed vulnerabilities when faced with ballistic missiles whose trajectories were modified. French Chief of the Defence staff Fabien Mandon asserted that SAMP/T can intercept certain Russian missiles the Patriot cannot, while pointing out that the system’s quantities were limited.

Therefore, the challenge Ukraine faces is not technological capability alone but also insufficient scale and coverage that makes the country vulnerable to saturation attacks. This limitation helps explain why Ukraine continues to rely on both systems. In October 2025, Volodymyr Zelenksy requested 25 Patriot systems for Ukrainian air defence. But this number still falls short of providing enough protection for Ukraine. During the most recent large-scale Russian strike, Ukrainian air defence forces fired 25 PAC-3 interceptor missiles in a single engagement, emptying available stocks. Meanwhile, American production is limited to 55 missiles per month. The newspaperThe Atlantic also revealed the Pentagon asked for suspension of the production of Patriot to build back American stocks. These constraints underline Ukraine’s dependence on a coalition of partners. During Zelensky’s visit to France in November 2025, Paris confirmed it would supply 8 SAMP/T NG.

Will SAMP/T NG be the best air defence system?

The SAMP/T has drawn lessons from the Ukrainian battlefield and has evolved into the SAMP/T NG. The deployment of air defence missiles to Ukraine offers a unique opportunity to assess their operational capabilities under real combat conditions. In the context of saturation attacks, where an attacker seeks to gain military advantage by overwhelming defensive systems with multiple threats, air defence systems are tested on the performance of their radars, their engagement range and target detection and identification capabilities.

French President announced in his New Year’s greetings to the armed forces that the SAMP/T „new generation” would be the best air defence system in the world.” The Italian Anti-Aircraft Artillery Command was the first to be delivered of the first SAMP/T NG in January 2026. This latest version is said to be more tactical, more flexible, and more modulable, with:

• A new missile Aster 30B1 NT can intercept a target flying at an altitude of 25,000 meters within a 150km range;
• A GF 300 with extensive range greater than 350km;
• A C2 module better protected against cyberthreats.

The two tests performed by the DGA indicated improved operational capabilities of the SAMP/T NG”, which will allow intercepting more complex aerial and ballistic targets.”

Why has SAMP/T not been prioritized over the Patriot for European air defence security?

The rivalry between the Patriot and the SAMP/T extends beyond the Ukrainian battlefield. For countries such as Norway, this Franco-Italian versus American rivalry has become the defining strategic choice of the decade.” This choice is less due to technical performance than to a combination of political, industrial and historical factors. First, the number of SAMP/T remains limited, and their mission also extends to the protection of critical infrastructure in peacetime, serving both as a deterrent and as a pillar of national security. By contrast, the US benefits from faster and larger-scale production. Then, the selection of the Patriot is rooted in a longstanding strategic and political legacy. The Patriot is fully integrated into NATO command and control structures. It also benefits from a strong reputation established since the Gulf War and has continuously improved through combat experience. The SAMP/T NG is intended to be fully integrated into NATO air defence networks.

Lastly, it is important to recall that Europe lacks a centralized air defence command. France refused to join the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) launched by Germany in 2022, which prioritizes American and Israeli systems while excluding the SAMP/T. While Germany emphasizes the need for industrial partnership, France advocates for a sovereign European defence based on European equipment.

In September 2025, Denmark became the first EU export customer to select the SAMP/T, following threats to the potential annexation of Greenland. Future prospective buyers are therefore likely to include European states that seek a European-made long-air defence system without becoming overly dependent on the US. In 2024, Belgium was reported to be preparing the acquisition of the SAMP/T NG. Less than a month ago, Estonia announced the opening of negotiations to acquire a new air defence system, placing the US, France and Italy, as well as Israel in direct competition.