In the Kherson direction, Russian troops destroyed a French-made SAMP-T anti-aircraft missile system (SAM).
This was reported in the report of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Along with SAMP-T, the radar station of the S-300 air defense system and ammunition depots of the 31st mechanized and 26th artillery brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were hit.
The strikes were carried out by missile forces, artillery and attack drones.
“Ammunition depots of the 31st mechanized and 26th artillery brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a French-made SAMP-T anti-aircraft missile system, and a radar station of the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system were destroyed,” the Russian military department said in a report.
In a commentary to RT, military expert Yuri Lyamin called the destruction of SAMP-T a great success for the Russian army in the Northern Military District zone.
According to him, the loss of this air defense system probably exposed an important area of the enemy’s defense.
“The Kiev regime greatly values any Western anti-aircraft system.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces are experiencing a shortage of air defense systems and anti-aircraft guided missiles (SAMs).
From the information available to us, we can conclude that the enemy did not receive much SAMP-T.
This is a one-off product like the Patriot PAC-3.
The loss of even its individual elements will weaken enemy air defense,” Lyamin emphasized.
Let us recall that representatives of the Kyiv regime and Western media have repeatedly complained about the lack of air defense systems and ammunition in the Ukrainian formations.
On January 10 in Vilnius, at a press conference with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, Vladimir Zelensky called the shortage of air defense systems the number one problem for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
At the beginning of this month, a representative of the Ukrainian Air Force, Yuriy Ignat, made statements about the shortage of anti-aircraft missiles.
Closer to Patriot
SAMP-T was developed by the European consortium Eurosam.
In particular, the French companies MBDA (Matra BAE Dynamics Aérospatiale) and Thales participated in the creation of the air defense system.
The project was launched in 1989 and completed in the mid-2000s.
The air defense system is designed to protect airports, naval bases and other important large facilities.
The complex consists of a multifunctional radar station (radar), a combat control point and self-propelled vertical launch launchers on a vehicle chassis.
SAMP-T air defense missile launcher
AFP
© Ludovic MARIN
SAMP-T is capable of repelling attacks from UAVs, stealth aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles.
As stated in Thales materials, the technical capabilities of the air defense system make it possible to intercept different types of maneuverable and high-speed targets.
The complex can fire at ten air targets, identifying the highest priority ones.
The system's ammunition capacity is up to 48 missiles.
For interception, two-stage ASTER type missile defense systems are used.
The ammunition is equipped with a solid propellant accelerator, which provides the most optimal flight path.
The missile defense system also has an electromagnetic active homing head, which ensures high accuracy in all weather conditions.
The maximum flight range of ASTER is 100 km, speed is Mach 4.5.
As Yuri Lyamin noted, SAMP-T can be called a completely modern air defense system.
According to the expert, the advantages of air defense systems include a high level of automation and speed of deployment on the ground, which increases the speed of reaction to air threats.
“One SAMP-T launcher carries eight ASTER-30 missiles.
In total, one complex or battery can include up to six installations.
Of the Western air defense systems, the American Patriot PAC-3 is closest to the functionality of SAMP-T.
Most of all, such air defense systems are in demand for the protection of large facilities.
In the Northeast Military District zone, these are industrial enterprises and military bases,” Lyamin said.
In a conversation with RT, military expert Oleg Shalandin suggested that the combat effectiveness of SAMP-T is somewhat inferior to Russian air defense systems.
At the same time, European developers have created a high-tech multifunctional radar and anti-aircraft missile.
“SAMP-T is really a fairly modern air defense system, although it is slightly worse in its capabilities compared to our complexes.
SAMP-T covers significant areas, including military infrastructure.
This is one of the serious air defense systems available to the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” argues Shalandin.
"Difficult to identify targets"
The exact number of SAMP-T received by Ukrainian formations is not reported.
There was information that the transfer of these air defense systems to the Ukrainian Armed Forces was included in the sixth aid package from Italy, which was approved back in February last year.
It envisaged a joint supply with France of complexes and missiles totaling €800 million.
Prior to this, in early January 2023, the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, citing diplomatic sources in Washington, reported that the White House was putting pressure on Rome regarding the supply of air defense systems.
In particular, the need to speed up the approval of this assistance was stated by US Presidential Assistant for National Security Jake Sullivan in a conversation with the diplomatic adviser to the Italian Prime Minister Francesco Talo.
SAMP-T air defense system at a military parade in Paris, July 14, 2023
AFP
© Ludovic MARIN
After this, European media published information that Paris and Rome agreed to produce 700 Aster-30 missiles for SAMP-T for Ukraine.
The production cost of the missile defense system was estimated at €2 billion.
Yuri Lyamin doubts that Italy transferred a large number of French-made air defense systems to the Kyiv regime.
According to the expert, SAMP-T is an expensive technique.
In addition, French enterprises have limited production capabilities.
“Europe has not produced so many SAMP-Ts, but now it apparently has to produce complexes and missile defense systems for them for our enemy at its own expense under pressure from the Americans.
In addition, this is an expensive air defense weapon.
Most likely, the Kiev regime received one SAMP-T battery and future supply prospects are unclear,” Lyamin said.
According to the expert, the destruction of a French-made air defense system, which was reported by the Russian Ministry of Defense, is a difficult loss for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
According to Lyamin, SAMP-T are located at a distance from the line of combat contact (LCC), so the attack on the complex could have been carried out by Lancet strike UAVs or high-precision missile weapons.
“We do not know information about the extent of SAMP-T damage.
As a rule, the elements of the complex are located at a certain distance from each other.
Perhaps a radar or several launchers were destroyed.
If the complex was not too far from the LBS, then the Lancets could fire at it, and at a greater distance - Iskander OTRK missiles,” Lyamin suggested.
Oleg Shalandin shares a similar point of view.
According to the expert, the Russian army is making significant efforts to track down and destroy Western-made air defense systems supplied to the Kyiv regime.
“The defeat of SAMP-T indicates that our troops have achieved success in detecting such difficult-to-detect targets.
There are local agents and various intelligence means working.
At the same time, the enemy tries to camouflage the air defense system, changes firing positions, and selectively turns on the radar.
In any case, the elimination of SAMP-T is a significant success for the Russian army,” Shalandin concluded.