The provision of a first SAMP/T system to bolster Ukraine’s extended-range ground-based air and missile defence is a fillip for Kyiv, but it also serves to expose European political and industrial tensions over how the continent should address future needs. Giorgio Di Mizio considers the implications.
French President Emmanuel Macron heralded the delivery of the first Eurosam SAMP/T surface-to-air missile (SAM) battery to Kyiv as ‘Europe defending Europe’. At the same time, however, it underscored the continuing vulnerability of Ukraine to air and missile attack and broader concerns about Europe’s capacity to fully address such threats.
Macron’s comments, made at a European air- and missile-defence conference on 19 June 2023, also laid bare continuing tensions between Paris and Berlin over how to address air and missile defence. Paris favours a ‘European’ defence-industrial approach while Berlin is looking to the United States and Israel for key systems. The more immediate issue, however, remains how to continue to support Ukraine’s ground-based air defence.
The missile threat in Ukraine Russia’s extensive use of land-attack cruise missiles (LACM), such as the air-launched Raduga Kh-101 (RS-AS-23A Kodiak) and the Novator 3M14 (RS-SS-N-30A Sagaris) naval LACM, and short-range surface-to-surface missiles, such as the 9K79-1 Tochka-U (RS-SS-21B Scarab) and 9K720 Iskander-M (RS-SS-26 Stone), has spurred the West’s desire to fortify Ukraine’s defence, but it has also caused Europe to reflect on how it would deal with such threats.
MIM-104 Patriot units have successfully engaged the Kinzhal (RS-AS-24 Killjoy) aero-ballistic missile, though potentially only through a high expenditure of interceptors. Kyiv’s use of Soviet-era long-range S-300 (RS-SA-10 Grumble) and medium-range 9K37 Buk (RS-SA-11 Gadfly) SAMs in countering the Russian air threat, while broadly successful, has depleted the stock of these missiles. Unlike with the Patriot however, Kyiv cannot access the original supplier to replenish this arsenal.
The SAMP/T battery, provided by France and Italy, is equipped with the Aster 30 Block 1 missile, supported by the Thales Arabel radar, and could be complemented by the Thales Ground Master 200 (GM 200) radar.
The system can be used to target aircraft and cruise missiles at a range in excess of 100 kilometres and provide an engagement capability against tactical ballistic missiles. It will provide capacity along with the two already-delivered US Patriots.
The SAMP/T is only the latest in an increasingly long list of Western air-defence systems being provided to Ukraine. Shorter-range anti-air systems already delivered include the Raytheon MIM-23B I-Hawk, Diehl IRIS-T SLM and the Kongsberg/Raytheon National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS). The Ukrainian counter-offensive also places a greater demand on mobile point- and short-range air defence to help protect ground forces from Russian air attacks. Russia’s tactical air power remains relatively intact and now appears to be used more effectively for close air support, with Ukraine’s far smaller air force at a disadvantage.
Bolstering inventories As well as the provision of complete SAM systems the US has been working on integrating the Raytheon AIM-7 Sparrow and RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missiles as a replacement for the 9M38 used by the Buk system fielded by Ukraine. The project to integrate Sparrow has earned the nickname ‘FrankenSAM’. So far, however, no equivalent effort in swapping out a Soviet-era missile design within the S-300 has emerged. Rather additional Patriot missiles have been shipped by the US and Germany within the framework of a trilateral initiative with the Netherlands.
Additional Soviet-era missiles are also being provided. At the 15 June meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, Denmark, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the US reported the ongoing delivery of hundreds of Soviet-era short- and medium-range missiles. Berlin also intends to provide additional medium- and short-range systems, with a further four IRIS-T-SLM and 12 IRIS-T-SLS SAM launchers as part of a major package adopted on 13 May 2023.
The US announced more AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles for the NASAMS and is also providing Avenger point-defence self-propelled SAM systems. On top of that, Germany is bolstering mobile point-defence systems with an additional 18 Gepard self-propelled air-defence artillery, to be added to the 34 already shipped. The US also has decided to procure up to 60 Gepards from Jordan, though delivery to Ukraine is due only in 2024.
Wider choices Beyond the immediate goal of supporting Ukraine, there remains the issue of how Europe should more widely improve its ground-based air and missile defence. Germany, to French consternation, is leading the European Sky Shield Initiative. Launched in October 2022, it includes the planned purchase by Germany of the Israel Aerospace Industries Arrow 3 ballistic-missile-defence system supported by the US Patriot. The German parliament gave its go-ahead, on 14 June 2023, for an initial payment for the Israeli system.
Macron, however, favours a Paris-led approach, with the French arm of European missile manufacturer MBDA likely to play a leading role. His argument reflects his support for improving European ‘strategic autonomy’.
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