SAMP/T receives an international award

On 6 October 2015, at its annual multinational conference on ballistic missile defence, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), on the proposal of the international programme committee, presented the Technology Pioneer Award to the French and Italian teams behind the SAMP/T extended air defence system. This award recognises the success of the firing test conducted on 6 March 2013 with an Aster 30 Block 1 missile against a target representative of a Scud tactical ballistic missile, in conjunction with the NATO chain of command.

The purpose of the test was to demonstrate the ballistic missile defence capability of the SAMP/T system and in particular its interoperability with NATO systems via Link 16 for joint and allied operations.

The test was conducted at the French Ministry of Defence’s missile test range in Biscarrosse, near Bordeaux (France), by the 4th Artillery Regiment based at Mantua, Italy, and the CEAM centre of expertise in military aviation at Mont-de-Marsan, France. The operation involved significant assets from various French MoD and NATO facilities as well as an American Aegis frigate.

The SAMP/T system’s key capabilities include 360° area defence and simultaneous engagement of all types of conventional and short-range ballistic missile threats. Developed and manufactured by Thales and MBDA through the Eurosam consortium, under a cooperation agreement between France and Italy, the SAMP/T system is in service in both countries and is the cornerstone of their contributions to the NATO ballistic missile defence capability.

Notes to editors:
The Eurosam SAMP/T is the first European anti-ballistic weapon system in operation. It is a theatre anti-missile system designed to protect the battlefield and sensitive tactical sites (such as airports and sea ports) against all current and future airborne threats, including cruise missiles, manned and unmanned aircrafts and tactical ballistic missiles in the 600 km range class, and to contribute to air superiority.
The system comprises a Thales’s fire control system based on the ARABEL multi-function electronic scanning radar and a vertical ground launcher capable of firing eight MBDA’s ASTER 30 Block 1 missiles in rapid sequence. The Arabel FCU has been designed for optimal firepower and engagement capabilities. It ensures 360° engagement and detection coverage and is able to track 100 trajectories and engage ten of them simultaneously. It is also self-adaptable to its environment and highly resistant to ECCM. The Arabel FCU can control up to 48 ready-to-fire Aster 30 missiles via 6 launchers which provides unique operational capabilities against all current and future air breathing threats. The Arabel FCU is fully network enabled and particularly effective against omni-directional saturating attacks.
 

 

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