Italy to send air defense system, Germany to provide long-range artillery rounds to Ukraine

Europe, News May 9, 2024 , by IRIA No Comments

Ukraine’s European allies have ramped up support for Kyiv amid Russia’s increasing aerial attacks. The Italian government is set to dispatch a second SAMP/T air defense system while German defense firm Rheinmetall announced that it would deliver artillery shell prototypes with a range of 100 kilometers to Ukraine.

According to reports by Italian news outlets, Kyiv would receive the platform along with an undisclosed number of 155 mm artillery shells, a single SAMP/T battery, and additional military equipment.

The latest package has been announced in response to Kyiv’s plea for allies to contribute additional equipment to counter Russia’s assaults on the nation’s energy infrastructure. Italy is expected to announce another additional military aid package for Ukraine at the upcoming G7 summit in Puglia, Italy.

SAMP/T Air Defense System

The SAMP/T (Surface-to-Air Missile Platform/Terrain) is a sophisticated air defense system developed by Eurosam, a consortium between France’s MBDA and the Italian wing of the Thales Group.

The system has been designed to provide comprehensive protection against a wide range of aerial threats, including aircraft, helicopters, drones, and ballistic missiles. It is renowned for its advanced capabilities and versatility in countering modern airborne threats.

The SAMP/T system boasts an impressive engagement range, capable of intercepting targets at distances of up to several hundred kilometers. It can engage targets at high altitudes, including those flying at low, medium, and high altitudes.

SAMP/T New Generation air defense system illustration. (Image Credit: EUROSAM)

The system’s missiles are capable of intercepting fast-moving targets with high precision and reliability. The SAMP/T platform is highly mobile, allowing for rapid deployment and repositioning to adapt to changing operational requirements. It is designed to seamlessly integrate with existing air defense networks and command and control systems, enhancing overall operational effectiveness.

New artillery rounds

In a separate statement around the same time, Armin Papperger, the CEO of Rheinmetall, announced that his company is currently in the process of finalizing the delivery of a new prototype shell to Ukraine that would have a range of up to 100 kilometers.

Papperger did not identify the shell prototype, which has a greater range than any Rheinmetall artillery shell or those previously sent to Ukraine from its partners during the ongoing war.

No existing artillery round matches the range of the undisclosed Rheinmetall prototype, sparking interest in its characteristics. Among the longest-range German artillery shells supplied to Ukraine is the 155mm Vulcano, with its extended-range variant capable of striking targets up to 70 kilometers away.

Furthermore, the unnamed Rheinmetall prototype surpasses the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) fired from HIMAR, which is also costly and has a range of 70 kilometers.

*^{German defense manufacturer Rheinmetall’s 155mm artillery ammunition. (Image Credit: Rheinmetall)}*

According to some defense experts and analysts, one of the likely candidates could be a ramjet-powered 155 mm artillery round being developed by Rheinmetall Denel Munition, a joint venture of Rheinmetall and South Africa’s Denel.

The round is based on the company’s Velocity Enhanced Artillery Projectile (VEAP) round featuring a rocket booster to achieve a range of around 76 kilometers.

Meanwhile, Papperger stated that the company aims to manufacture 700,000 artillery rounds this year, marking a tenfold increase from 2022, and anticipates exceeding one million. To meet this objective, artillery plants are under construction in Germany and Lithuania, with plans in progress to establish a factory in Ukraine as well, the CEO said in an interview.