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France MBDA
SAMP/T (Aster 30)
A Franco-Italian ground-based air-defense system built around the Aster 30 missile, capable of engaging aircraft, cruise missiles and short-range ballistic missiles. It has been supplied to Ukraine as part of European air-defense assistance and is jointly operated by France and Italy.
In service since 2011 · 3 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-01
120
km range
20,000
m altitude
10
targets
140
km radar
💲 ≈ $400,000,000, Approximate cost per battery set
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
French export-licensed
CIEEMG inter-ministerial approval; broadly export-oriented.
Channel: DGA / direct commercial
Fielded & proven
Limited · 3 operators
In service since 2011. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$1.0B – $1.4B
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~25 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 4.5 Mach |
|---|---|
| Engagement range Maximum distance at which an air-defense system can intercept targets. Higher covers more airspace. | 120 km |
| Engagement altitude Maximum target altitude the system can reach. | 20,000 m |
| Simultaneous targets Number of targets the system can engage at once. Higher resists saturation attacks. | 10 |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | Aster 30 interceptor missile |
|---|---|
| Warhead Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range. | 15 kg |
| Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable. | Directed-fragmentation |
| Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire. | Active radar homing, Inertial + datalink midcourse |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | Arabel / Ground Fire 300 AESA radar |
|---|---|
| Radar range Published detection range against a typical fighter-sized target. Higher sees first. | 140 km |
| Datalink Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement. | PAAMS network, NATO Link 16 |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $400,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 3 |
Specifications compiled from public MBDA and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Rheinmetall Skyranger 30 
KBP Instrument Design Bureau Pantsir-S1 Head-to-head comparisons
SAMP/T (Aster 30) vs
Patriot PAC-3 
SİPER 
NASAMS 
SPYDER 
HQ-9 Frequently asked questions
What is the engagement range of the MBDA SAMP/T (Aster 30)? +
The MBDA SAMP/T (Aster 30) has a maximum engagement range of 120 km.
What is the main armament of the MBDA SAMP/T (Aster 30)? +
The MBDA SAMP/T (Aster 30)'s primary weapon is the Aster 30 interceptor missile.
What is the MBDA SAMP/T (Aster 30) used for? +
The MBDA SAMP/T (Aster 30) is a air defense system typically used for air defense.
How many countries operate the MBDA SAMP/T (Aster 30)? +
The MBDA SAMP/T (Aster 30) is operated by 3 countries.
How much does the MBDA SAMP/T (Aster 30) cost? +
The MBDA SAMP/T (Aster 30) has an approximate unit cost of 400,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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Related coverage
SAMP/T (Aster 30) in the news
News policy · Jul 19, 2026
France's Bastille Day Push: A €36B Bet on Missiles and Drones
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News policy · Jul 7, 2026
NATO Allies Pledge €70B Annually for Ukraine at Ankara Summit
An in-depth look at NATO's Ankara summit: a €70 billion-a-year Ukraine aid pledge, the road from a 2% to a 5%-of-GDP spending target, and why Turkey's grip on the Black Sea straits made it the venue.
Article buying · Jul 3, 2026
Patriot vs S-400 vs SAMP/T: Air-Defense Buyer's Guide
Patriot vs S-400 vs SAMP/T: Patriot suits US-aligned buyers, S-400 fits sanctions-tolerant states, SAMP/T is Europe's sovereign option.