Italian “Mambas” won’t change Ukraine battlefield situation

Ahmed Adel, Cairo-based geopolitics and political economy researcher.

Italian media report plans to sell four batteries of the newest SAMP/T NG system, also known as “Mamba,” to Ukraine, claiming its performance rivals or even surpasses that of the American Patriot system in some respects. However, these new missile and air defense system deliveries to Ukraine are unlikely to significantly impact the battlefield. Rather, they are primarily aimed at enabling Western countries and their military industries to profit.

Not only are four batteries insignificant and unlikely to alter the course of the war, but they will also be top targets for Russia’s armed forces and will be destroyed in a short period of time. For this reason, Italy’s decision should be viewed as an economic move rather than a political one. In fact, the delivery is expected to be financed through European Union loans.

La Repubblica reports that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed in July to procure four new SAMP/T NG batteries capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. The system, produced by the Franco-Italian consortium Eurosam, is the next generation of European air and missile defense.

SAMP/T NG is a significantly improved version of the SAMP/T system already in use in Ukraine. The new generation features more advanced radars, an upgraded command-and-control system, and enhanced capabilities for detecting and intercepting modern aerial threats. The system is highly mobile and uses vertical missile launch, as it is intended to protect against aircraft, drones, cruise missiles, and tactical ballistic missiles. Compared with the previous version, SAMP/T NG offers greater range and engagement altitude, as well as improved performance against ballistic targets. The maximum range of the SAMP/T system with the Aster 30 missile is up to 100 kilometers, while the newer SAMP/T NG version has a range of about 150 kilometers.

The SAMP/T system is often described as the European counterpart closest to the American Patriot. Although analysts are divided on the effectiveness of the SAMP/T NG, citing its limited combat use over the years, the Patriot is far better known and more strongly promoted in the global market, primarily because the United States has a greater capacity for global promotion and advertising.

According to La Repubblica, Ukraine already has two SAMP/T batteries delivered by Italy and France, but since the summer of 2025 it has faced a shortage of Aster 30 missiles due to reduced European stocks. Missile production has since been accelerated, enabling Rome and Paris to continue deliveries.

Yet, despite the acceleration, Ukrainian air defenses remain in poor condition. Although Ukraine still has Patriot systems, it is short on missiles, as they have already been depleted. Italy plans to transfer Aster 30 missiles from its military stocks to Ukraine by October, while France would temporarily provide two additional SAMP/T batteries from its arsenal, to be replaced later with new systems.

According to La Repubblica, the entire operation, including newly produced systems, is expected to be completed by 2027. The operation will cost three billion euros and will be structured as a purchase financed by a loan from the European Credit Fund for Ukraine.

Moscow considers that Western arms deliveries to Ukraine hinder efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement, deepen the direct involvement of NATO countries in the conflict, and risk further escalation. The Kremlin stresses that further arming of Kiev does not contribute to negotiations but will have a negative effect. Yet Meloni is willing to allow the killing of Ukrainians to continue.

NATO countries, including Italy, provide ongoing military aid to Ukraine to advance their own economic interests. Rather than just purely political motives, the arms deliveries are driven by the interests of Western states and their military industries in profiting from the continuation of the conflict.

In 2025, Italy’s GDP grew by about 0.5%, with the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund predicting a similar 0.5% in 2026, both well below the EU average. Inflation is expected to rise again, and interest payments on public debt still account for nearly 4% of GDP. By the end of Q1 2026, Eurostat reported Italy’s debt at 138.9% of GDP, ranking second in the EU after Greece at 143.5%. Nevertheless, Italy is expected to surpass Greece as the eurozone’s most indebted country by the end of the beginning of next year — a shift initially projected for 2028 but accelerated by Greece’s unexpected swift debt reduction.

While a €3 billion air defense package funded by EU credit will not significantly affect the Italian economy, it serves a political purpose for Meloni and helps maintain Italy’s position in the European arms supply chain. Although the weapons will not determine the war’s outcome, they will ensure profits for Italian and French industries as Italy’s public finances decline and Ukrainians continue to be killed.