Italy has confirmed the transfer of an additional battery of the SAMP/T air defense system capable of intercepting ballistic missiles.

Reuters reported on this with reference to Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.

“It is known that we will send SAMP/T, which is an instrument of air defense, therefore of protection, that Ukraine itself asked us for,” the Foreign Minister said.

Tajani added that SAMP/T will be delivered as part of the next batch of military aid, which is already being prepared. However, he did not provide any timeframe for the transfer.

Corriere della Sera newspaper reported on Monday that the government could green-light the new supplies after a summit of leaders of the Group of Seven major democracies, which Italy will host on June 13-15.

A source close to the matter told Reuters earlier that Italy would likely ship to Ukraine a SAMP/T system currently deployed in Kuwait but soon due to return to Italy.

Currently, France and Italy operate the only European system capable of fully intercepting ballistic missiles. The latter has only five batteries, so the transfer of one of them would be a significant step for the country.

The Italian version of the system is based on an Iveco M320 or ACTL HD8 truck. Its battery consists of four self-propelled launchers, a self-propelled radar, and a control post.

Similar to the French systems, the Italian SAMP/T can destroy aerodynamic targets at a distance of 100+ km and at an altitude of up to 25 km. At the same altitude, the system intercepts ballistic missiles at a distance of up to 25 km.

This battery is to be the second for the Ukrainian army. In early 2023, Italy and France jointly assembled a battery from their own components and transferred it to Ukraine to protect cities and industrial facilities from numerous Russian missile attacks.

According to the article, in addition to air defense, the Italian government also plans to transfer strike weapons, namely a batch of Storm Shadow cruise missiles.

Italy supplying cruise missiles to Ukraine was only first reported at the end of April this year. The Italian government has not officially announced the transfer of this type of missile, but some Western experts believe that the transfer took place without any announcement.