Ukraine to be first to get next-gen SAMP/T with upgraded capabilities, Macron says
Photo: Ukraine will be the first to receive the new generation SAMP-T with improved characteristics (mil.in.ua)
Ukraine will be the first of all customer countries to receive the promising SAMP/T air defense system, which is still under development, says French President Emmanuel Macron at a joint briefing with the President of Ukraine.
“We have launched bilateral cooperation, which is designed for the next 10 years, on the acquisition, development, and production of drones, drone interceptors, and guided bombs. We are talking about deliveries that we are planning for the next two years and 10 years ahead,” Macron said.
According to him, the new generation of the SAMP/T air defense system is still under development, but France has agreed that it could be the first to be deployed in Ukraine.
“Ukraine is already familiar with the characteristics of this system (air defense – ed.), but now it will have new, enhanced characteristics,” the French president added.
He also noted that under the terms of the agreement, Ukraine will be able to purchase 100 fully armed aircraft with the corresponding training programs for maintenance crews and pilots.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the new generation of SAMP/T air defense systems is capable of shooting down ballistic missiles.
“The new level of SAMP/T is against enemy ballistics, and I cannot say anything about the delivery dates for this product, which is very important for us,” said the head of state.
Ukraine-France declaration
Today, November 17, Ukraine and France signed a declaration of intent to cooperate on the acquisition of defense equipment for Kyiv. The document refers to aircraft, drones, and air defense systems.
According to the President of Ukraine, the document allows Ukraine to purchase military equipment from the French defense industry and technology base, including 100 Rafale F4 aircraft by 2035 for Ukraine's combat aviation, SAMP-T air defense systems, radars for air defense systems, air-to-air missiles, and aerial bombs.
Joint projects between the defense industries will also begin this year. The countries will jointly produce interceptor drones and work on the development of critical technologies and components that can be integrated into Ukrainian drones.
