Italy has confirmed it is ready to supply Ukraine with its Samp-T air defense system after weeks of doubt over Rome’s readiness to hand over the costly kit.
Italy will team with France to send the system to Kyiv, which has issued an urgent appeal for air defense capabilities as Russia bombards Ukraine with missiles and mounts loitering munition attacks.
The dispatching of the system was confirmed to Defense News by a spokesman for Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani, who announced the decision in an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
“In collaboration with France we are finalizing the dispatch of Samp-T while there are also other initiatives on which we are also working secretly,” Tajani told the newspaper.
Entering into service with the Italian army in 2013, Samp-T is a truck-based tactical antimissile system designed to tackle cruise missiles, manned and unmanned aircraft and tactical ballistic missiles.
Italy only has five Samp-T batteries, leading to concerns over the weakening of Italy’s defense capabilities if it supplies one to Ukraine.