Zelensky: Ukraine to Test SAMP/T NG Air Defense System in Combat to Intercept Ballistic Missiles

France will provide Ukraine with the latest SAMP/T NG air defense system, which will be tested against ballistic missile targets.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this while speaking to journalists, according to RBC-Ukraine.

According to the President, the Franco-Italian system is currently the only real alternative to the U.S. Patriot air defense system.

In the new NG version, the system will be tested in real combat conditions to intercept ballistic targets. He also added that Ukraine is first in line to receive the new system.

“SAMP/T is currently the only alternative in Europe. We will see this year whether the new SAMP/T systems can shoot down ballistic missiles. This year, we will receive a system to test against ballistic threats. If it works, it will become strong long-term support,” the President said, according to RBC-Ukraine.

The SAMP/T NG system is currently in the final stages of development, which is expected to significantly improve its capabilities and expand its ability to intercept both aerial and ballistic targets. Despite this, at the end of February 2026, the Air Warfare Center (CEAM-AWC) of the French Armed Forces accepted the first SAMP/T NG air defense system.

Ukraine is also expected to receive eight French SAMP/T NG air defense systems under a new bilateral agreement with France. In addition to Ukraine, the new system will also enter service with Danish units.

The main upgrade will be a new radar with an active electronically scanned array (AESA). For French systems, it will be the Ground Fire radar developed by Thales, while Italian systems will use the Kronos Grand Mobile HP radar produced by Leonardo.

The Ground Fire radar can provide full airspace surveillance with a detection range of up to 400 km, covering 360° in azimuth and 90° in elevation.

It uses S-band AESA technology, allowing it to simultaneously detect, track, and classify multiple targets, including drones and ballistic missiles, even in challenging conditions such as mountainous terrain or congested airspace.

At the same time, the Kronos Grand Mobile HP is a radar system developed from the naval Leonardo EMPAR active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. It uses gallium nitride (GaN) modules for signal transmission and reception, thereby increasing the target detection range and improving the quality of the returned signal.

The station operates in the C-band using AESA technology. The radar rotates 60 times per minute, allowing it to update target movement data every second. Its detection range is 250 km in combat mode and 300 km in search mode, with a target detection altitude of up to 30 km.

In addition to the radar, the system will receive a new missile – Aster 30 Block 1 NT. In October 2024, the first successful test launches with the new munition were conducted. The ASTER B1 NT missile, developed by MBDA, is designed to intercept short- and medium-range missiles and ballistic missiles with a range of up to 1,500 km.

Militarnyi previously reported that in 2023, France and Italy jointly ordered 700 Aster-30 surface-to-air missiles worth about €2 billion.