Ukraine Will Receive SAMP/T Battery, Biden's Call Prompted To Speed Up Resolution Of This Issue - Media

Italy will provide Ukraine with a battery of SAMP/T anti-aircraft missile systems. The decision, which has been "hanging in the air" for weeks, came after a personal order from the country's Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni.

The Italian publication Rivista Italiana Difesa reported this with reference to its own sources.

The publication notes that the issue of supplying SAMP/T air defense systems to Ukraine remained open for a long time due to the resistance of the Italian Ministry of Defense and the Italian military.

It turns out that only five batteries of SAMP/T air defense systems are in service with the Italian Armed Forces. Moreover, one of them is deployed in Kuwait as part of the Inherent Resolve mission.

According to the publication, Meloni personally instructed to transfer the air defense systems to Ukraine after a call from U.S. President Joe Biden.

SAMP/T (from the French Famille de Sol-Air Futurs Sol-Air Moyenne-Portee/Terrestre) is an anti-aircraft missile system that was jointly developed by France and Italy.

The complex is designed to protect the territory from aircraft (from 3 to 100 kilometers) and missiles, cruise and ballistic (from 3 to 25 kilometers).

One launcher of this air defense system is armed with 8 missiles, which can be shot in one salvo in just 10 seconds.

SAMP/T can take the form of a ground launcher or launcher on an automobile chassis with a wheel arrangement 8×8.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on December 14, the French media reported with reference to their own sources that France and Italy agreed to transfer SAMP/T air defense systems to Ukraine.

Recall that at the beginning of the week, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that in order to supply SAMP/T air defense systems to Ukraine, the Italian government needs to suppress the discontent of pro-Russian politicians.