The Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR), acting on behalf of the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA), has awarded a contract to Eurosam (the GIE consortium formed by MBDA and Thales) for four additional SAMP/T NG (Sol-Air Moyenne Portée / Terrestre Nouvelle Génération) surface-to-air missile firing units.
Announced on October 22, 2026, the procurement increases the French Air and Space Force’s planned long-range air-and-missile defense fleet from 8 to 12 batteries. Designed to form the strategic backbone of European sovereign Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD), the SAMP/T NG incorporates next-generation active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars, modernized C2 engagement modules, and the Aster 30 Block 1 NT (New Technology) interceptor. The upgraded system is engineered to neutralize high-altitude air-breathing targets, maneuvering tactical ballistic missiles (TBMs), and emerging hypersonic cruise missile threats across contested European airspace.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: EUROSAM SAMP/T NG AIR & MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM
Sponsoring Authority, OEM Consortium & Fleet Program
⚡ Contracting Authority: Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) / DGA (France)
⚡ Prime Industrial Consortium: Eurosam GIE (MBDA France, MBDA Italy, Thales Group)
⚡ Primary Operating Service: French Air and Space Force (Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace)
⚡ Fleet Procurement Plan: Expanded from 8 to 12 total operational SAMP/T NG batteries for France (alongside 10 systems ordered by Italy and planned export deliveries to partner nations)
⚡ Battery Architecture: 1× Multi-Function Radar Module, 1× Battery Engagement Module (C2 Command Post), and up to 6× Vertical Launchers (48 Aster 30 missiles ready-to-fire per battery) 
Radar & Sensor Architecture (French Configuration)
💥 Primary Multi-Function Radar: Thales Ground Fire 300 (GF300) AESA Radar
💥 Radar Hardware Baseline: Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) utilizing Gallium Nitride (GaN) transmit/receive modules with 360-degree continuous rotation
💥 Tracking Kinematics: >350 km surveillance range; capable of simultaneously tracking over 1,000 air-breathing, ballistic, and high-maneuverability targets
💥 Italian/Export Alternative Radar: Leonardo Kronos Grand Mobile High Power (KGM HP) AESA radar module
Aster 30 Block 1 NT Interceptor Kinematics & Seeker Capabilities
🚀 Missile Dimensions & Weight: Length: 4.9 m | Diameter: 180 mm | Launch Weight: ~450 kg
🚀 Propulsion Architecture: Solid-propellant dual-stage rocket motor with PIF-PAF (Pilotage par Jet / Pilotage Aerodynamique) thrust-vector control nozzles for extreme altitude maneuverability
🚀 Dynamic Envelope: Intercept Range: >150 km against air-breathing threats | Operational Altitude: Surface to 25,000+ m (82,000+ ft) | Maximum Speed: Mach 4.5+
🚀 Guidance & Seeker Architecture: Ka-band active radar seeker (replacing legacy Ku-band seeker), enabling high-resolution target acquisition against low-RCS threats, maneuvering re-entry vehicles, and hypersonic glide targets
🚀 Anti-Ballistic & Hypersonic Engagement: Engineered to intercept maneuvering short- and medium-range tactical ballistic missiles with operational ranges exceeding 600 km, as well as high-speed hypersonic cruise missiles
Multi-Layer Integration & C4I Interoperability
🚀 Layered Defense Integration: Compatible with short/medium-range point-defense interceptors, including integrated control of VL MICA and VL MICA NG launchers for multi-tiered air defense coverage
🚀 C2 Networking: High-capacity NATO Link 16, Link 22, and secure SATCOM data-links for seamless integration into NATO Allied Air Command and national IAMD networks
TIMES OF DEFENCE ASSESSMENT
France’s decision to order four additional SAMP/T NG batteries—bringing its planned inventory to 12 systems—underlines a European initiative to build sovereign long-range air defense capacity independent of foreign platforms. Driven by high consumption rates and missile proliferation in regional operational theaters, European defense ministries are moving to secure deep magazine capacity for high-end theater missile defense.
From an engineering and operational perspective, the SAMP/T NG offers performance improvements over legacy SAMP/T baselines:
1. **Ka-Band Seeker Precision**: The transition from Ku-band to Ka-band on the Aster 30 Block 1 NT interceptor provides narrow beam-width resolution and target discrimination. This high frequency allows the missile to acquire small, high-speed targets—such as tactical ballistic missile warheads and hypersonic cruise effectors—executing terminal evasive maneuvers.
2. **GaN AESA Radar Sensing**: Thales’ Ground Fire 300 radar utilizes Gallium Nitride (GaN) microelectronics, providing high power aperture and continuous 360-degree tracking against low-observable targets at ranges exceeding 350 km.
3. **Multi-Layer Architecture**: Integrating short-to-medium-range VL MICA NG launchers directly into the SAMP/T NG command module allows operators to conserve high-cost Aster 30 Block 1 NT missiles for high-tier ballistic/hypersonic threats while engaging lower-tier drones and cruise missiles with MICA effectors.
By expanding procurement to 12 firing units, France bolsters its territorial anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) shield while positioning Eurosam’s SAMP/T NG as a European competitor to the U.S. MIM-104 Patriot system across NATO and international export markets.
