French SAMP/T to Support NATO Air Defense in Romania

France has deployed a SAMP/T air defense system to Romania to reinforce NATO’s eastern flank.

The French Joint Defense Staff published the photos of the French air defense battery, currently stationed at the Capu Midia training range near the Black Sea.

The deployment includes a combat-ready battery operated by about 100 personnel. The French system contributes to both national airspace protection and NATO’s regional air defense missions.

It is part of NATO’s multinational Southeastern Corps, where France provides both operational support and coordination.

Currently, the French system is the only one of its class in Romania that provides medium-range air defense coverage.

SAMP/T is the primary medium-range air defense platform of the French Air and Space Force and the Italian Army. It is designed to intercept drones, fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and cruise missiles.

Meanwhile, French engineers are finalizing the Aster 30 Block 1 NT, a new missile capable of intercepting medium-range ballistic targets. A successful test was conducted in autumn 2024 at the French Armaments Agency (DGA) facility in Biscarrosse.

According to the DGA, the missile can engage targets at altitudes of up to 25,000 meters and ranges of up to 150 kilometers, including ballistic missiles and hypersonic threats traveling at speeds exceeding Mach 5.

The missile will be integrated into the upgraded SAMP/T NG system and into modernized naval platforms currently undergoing significant updates to electronics and vertical launch systems.

Militarnyi previously reported that in September 2024, France signed a new contract for the production of seven additional SAMP/T NG systems. The French military expects to field 12 operational batteries by 2035, with an additional four to be ordered by 2027.