Denmark has selected the Franco-Italian SAMP/T air defense system over the US Patriot, in what appears to be the first win for the “Buy European” campaign.
“The Danish Armed Forces are building a ground-based air defence that can protect civilians, military targets, and critical infrastructure from threats from the air. For the long-range system, the Franco-Italian-produced SAMP/T will be procured, while for the medium-range systems, a choice will be made between one or more systems from the Norwegian-produced NASAMS, the German IRIS-T, and the French VL MICA,” the Danish Defense Ministry said in an official statement on September 12.
“The systems have been selected based on an overall assessment of operational, economic, and strategic factors,” the Danish Defense Ministry emphasised.
Additionally, it noted that an estimated 58 billion kroner ($9.11 billion) will be spent on the acquisition and maintenance of ground-based air and missile defense systems.
With this decision, Denmark will now become 4th European country, besides France, Italy, and Ukraine, to acquire the SAMP/T system.
The decision follows Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s February 2025 directive to urgently acquire military equipment in anticipation of potential Russian aggression in Europe, a resolve that may have been strengthened after Russian drones breached the Polish airspace earlier this week.
🇩🇰 – Denmark has chosen the European SAMP/T air defense system over the American variant.
This is a great development, which helps to upgrade European sovereignty in Defence! 🇪🇺 https://t.co/3LUlILIdG9
— NXT EU (@NXT4EU) September 12, 2025
There is no doubt that the security situation is challenged,” Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told reporters on September 12.
“We have seen how Russia has violated Polish airspace with several drones… It is a reminder to all of us about the importance of strengthening our combat power,” he added.
Denmark’s decision to buy the SAMP/T over the combat-proven Patriots reflects a shift in strategy among European countries, which see the US under Donald Trump’s Presidency as unreliable.
On the other hand, it comes as a win for France, which has exploited the prevailing mistrust to position its own weapons as a suitable alternative to American arms.
When Donald Trump started cozying up to Russia and dilly-dallying on security commitments to Europe after assuming office in January, France quickly jumped to push a “buy European” campaign.
French President pitched Rafale as an alternative to F-35 and SAMP/T as an alternative to the Patriot.
Earlier in March, Macron said in an interview, “Those who buy Patriot should be offered the new-generation Franco-Italian SAMP/T. Those who buy the F-35 should be offered the Rafale. That’s the way to increase the rate of production.” This was followed by a coordinated effort to win a contract for the Franco-Italian system.
For example, during the Paris Air Show, Eric Tabacchi, a military consultant with Eurosam, highlighted the capabilities of the SAMP/T air defense system to prove that it was indeed better than the Patriot in several major aspects.
At the time, Tabacchi pointed out that its new radar rotated once every second, peering over 220 miles in the sky. Furthermore, the Samp/T provided 360-degree coverage.
“The Patriot has nothing like this,” he quipped.
Since Trump became the US President in January, he has repeatedly called for the annexation of resource-rich Greenland, much to the chagrin of Greenlanders and the Danish government.
“I think we’re going to have it,” Trump said in March. “I don’t really know what claim Denmark has to it, but it would be a very unfriendly act if they didn’t allow that to happen because it’s for the protection of the free world.”
The Danish government, supported by the rest of Europe, has condemned these calls that represent a direct assault on its sovereignty. This has, in fact, brought the European countries closer than ever before, strengthening pan-European ties.
SAMP/T Vs Patriot
Developed by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, the Patriot is a mature, widely deployed system in service since the 1980s, with significant upgrades including PAC-1, PAC-2, and PAC-3, enhancing its anti-ballistic missile (ABM) capabilities.
It is primarily designed for high-to-medium altitude air defense and terminal-phase ABM for protecting critical assets.
A combat-hardened platform, the Patriot has seen action in conflicts like the Gulf War, Iraq War, Yemen, and, more recently, in Ukraine.
The Patriots made combat history in Ukraine by downing Russian Kinzhal hypersonic missiles that were earlier positioned as invincible by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Reports suggest that it also took down multiple Su-34s and was responsible for shooting down a Russian A-50 AEW&C Aircraft. This led to a global surge in demand for this coveted platform, as previously explained by the EurAsian Times.
In comparison, the SAMP/T is a newer system, operational since 2010, designed for theater air and missile defense. It was developed by Eurosam, a consortium of MBDA and Thales, for protecting battlefields and sensitive tactical sites against aircraft, cruise missiles, and tactical ballistic missiles. The system has relatively less combat experience as compared to the Patriot, but has been operational in Ukraine for two years.
The PAC-3 MSE interceptor of a Patriot has an engagement range of approximately 180 kilometres, while the SAMP/T’s Aster 30 missile is reported to intercept air-breathing threats at 150 kilometres.
PAC-3 MSE uses a hit-to-kill interceptor with tungsten fragments for high precision against ballistic targets, whereas Aster 30 uses a hit-to-kill mechanism with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead.
PAC-3 MSE missiles are believed to be highly effective against ballistic missiles but less versatile than the Aster 30.
The SAMP/T has faced challenges intercepting ballistic missiles, particularly in Ukraine, compared to the Patriot system. Reports suggest that software issues and the limitations of the Aster 30 Block 1 missile (pre-2015 variant) hindered its performance against advanced ballistic threats.
However, in March 2025, one of Ukraine’s SAMP/T batteries proved its mettle when it reportedly shot down a Russian fighter jet.
The Patriot uses the AN/MPQ-53/65 phased-array radar with track-via-missile (TVM) guidance, which is enhanced by modern processing algorithms for multi-target engagement. It can track up to 100 targets and engage 8 simultaneously.
In contrast, the SAMP/T features a cutting-edge radar called Arabel that can track up to 100 targets and engage 16 missiles simultaneously, offering robust defense for key urban centers and infrastructure.
The Patriots’ “shoot-shoot-see” approach, which includes firing two missiles per target, contrasts with the SAMP/T’s more conservative “shoot-see-shoot” doctrine, which may conserve munitions but could be less effective in high-intensity engagements.
Moreover, due to its larger and more complex setup, it is relatively less mobile than SAMP/T.
Eurosam claims that the new, upgraded SAMP/T has many features that will surpass those of the Patriot. These features include a new radar with 360-degree protection of the surrounding skies, and canisters that rise to a vertical rather than slanted position, enabling it to fire missiles in all directions.
Furthermore, the SAMP/T system can be set up by as few as 15 people, whereas the US Army currently uses 90 soldiers for one Patriot battery. The SAMP/T is also cheaper compared to the Patriot, making it more cost-effective
Both platforms have comparable features. To put it briefly, the Patriots’ demonstrated dependability, worldwide integration, and ballistic missile defense have positioned it as a superior platform. However, the SAMP/T may be appropriate for cost-effectiveness, high mobility, and tackling a variety of threats.
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