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Italy has officially commissioned the SAMP/T NG ("new generation") and GRIFO anti-aircraft missile systems, which are designed to strengthen the country's multi-level air defense and missile defense system.
SAMP/T NG was developed by the efforts of MBDA Italy, MBDA France and Thales. It is designed to counter both aerodynamic and ballistic threats. Compared to the basic version of the SAMP/T NG, the new air defense system has received a number of improvements.
The most significant update is the possibility of using the Aster 30 B1NT interceptor, an extended–range missile equipped with an upgraded seeker (the Ku band has been replaced with a new one operating in the higher-frequency Ka band) and an improved power plant, which made it possible to fight targets at a distance of more than 150 km and at an altitude of up to 25 km. The basic version of the Aster 30 Block 1 operated at a distance of approximately 100-120 km and could not provide the same level of accuracy when defeating modern ballistic threats.
The 180mm Aster 30 B1NT has a starting weight of 450 kg. The flight speed reaches Mach 4.5.
SAMP/T NG:
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The SAMP/T NG is also equipped with Leonardo's Kronos Grand Mobile High Power radar, an advanced AFAR radar that increases the detection range to 350 km, allows you to simultaneously track multiple targets and prioritize them. The high frequency of radar data updates and digital beamforming technology provide excellent efficiency in the fight against maneuvering targets with low ESR, such as stealth aircraft, drones and cruise missiles.
The system is equipped with a deeply upgraded control and monitoring complex with an open architecture, which provides faster data transfer from sensors (including third-party ones) to combat posts.
GRIFO:
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Other improvements include shorter reaction times, increased resistance to electronic interference, and greater flexibility when working online. While the basic system was focused mainly on countering conventional aerial threats, the new version provides more reliable protection against short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, even if they have a complex flight path or high speed.
The GRIFO short-range air defense system with a vertical launch mechanism is equipped with CAMM-ER interceptors with a range of more than 40 km.
