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.

Engagement

120 km

💲 Approximate cost per battery set

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

33th pct in class
Engagement range Maximum distance at which an air-defense system can intercept targets. Higher covers more airspace.: 120 km

50th pct in class
Engagement altitude Maximum target altitude the system can reach.: 20,000 m

17th pct in class
Simultaneous targets Number of targets the system can engage at once. Higher resists saturation attacks.: 10

33th pct in class

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

20th pct in class
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

17th pct in class
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

50th pct in class
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.: 3

0th pct in class

Specifications compiled from public MBDA and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.

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.