Denmark is planning to acquire SAMP/T long-range air defence systems with an investment of $9.1 billion for the procurement and operation of the SAMP/T NG.
Danish local news outlet TV2 reported that Denmark has allocated a budget of $9.1 billion covering the acquisition and operation costs for eight SAMP/T NG long-range air defence systems. This makes Denmark the first non-consortium user of the long-range air defence system from the EU. SAMP/T NG’s competitor for Denmark’s long-range air defence was the US-made Patriot with PAC-3 missiles, the sale of which was approved through FMS.
The local reports from Denmark hint at quicker delivery and 360-degree coverage by vertical launch as the primary reasons behind SAMP/T’s selection.
SAMP/T is a joint development between France and Italy for a wide variety of targets, including cruise missiles, short-range ballistic missiles, and aircraft. France and Italy have separate configurations for SAMP/T NG with their respective radars and other assets, but both use the Aster 30 Block 1 NT missile. The report from TV2 hints at the French configuration, which uses the Thales Ground Fire 300 AESA radar with a range of 400 km.
The Aster 30 Block 1 NT missile used by the system is an upgrade from Aster 30 Block 1, with the swapping of the original Ku-band RF seeker with a Ka-band one. The two-stage missile with a range of 150 km features manoeuvring thrusters providing increased agility even at high altitudes, where aerodynamic manoeuvring loses effectiveness.
Author: Kaan Azman
Editor:Özgür Ekşi
