France’s defense procurement agency has awarded Thales-MBDA joint venture Eurosam a contract for four additional SAMP/T NG air and missile defense systems.
The order brings France’s planned fleet to 12 systems. Paris received its first system in early 2026, with 10 more scheduled for delivery by the end of 2030.
Developed as the successor to the Franco-Italian SAMP/T (Mamba), the SAMP/T NG is designed to counter advanced air and missile threats.
According to France’s defense procurement agency, the system, paired with the future ASTER B1NT interceptor, will be capable of engaging ballistic and hypersonic threats traveling at speeds exceeding Mach 5.
Multilayer Configuration
The four additional systems will feature a multilayer configuration combining Aster and VL MICA missiles.
Standard VL MICA missiles can engage targets at ranges of up to 30 kilometers (18.6 miles), while the VL MICA NG variant extends that range to 40 kilometers (25 miles).
The configuration will include up to six launchers for each missile family. Its engagement module will coordinate firing across both missile types, assigning the most suitable interceptor to each target.
SAMP/T NG
The SAMP/T NG features Thales’ Ground Fire 300 rotating active electronically scanned array radar, which provides 360-degree coverage and detects targets at ranges of up to 350 kilometers (217 miles).
Its Aster interceptors can engage threats at ranges exceeding 150 kilometers (93 miles). Each launcher can carry eight missiles, while a standard section can accommodate up to 48 Aster missiles.
Designed for mobility, the system can engage multiple threats simultaneously and integrate with NATO air defense networks.