Italy to double missile interceptor production as Ukraine runs out

ROME — Italy will double production of missiles for its SAMP/T air defense batteries next year, Italy’s defense minister has said, as Ukraine reportedly runs out of stocks for its two batteries.

In an Italian TV interview on Monday, minister Guido Crosetto said that the Italian arm of European missile house MBDA would boost production of the Aster missiles by 40% this year and 100% in 2026.

But he added, “the first deliveries that will arrive will be in a year, a year and a half.”

That will be little relief to Ukraine. On Monday, French newspaper Le Monde reported that Kyiv has run out of missiles for its batteries, just as Russia steps up missile and drone attacks on the country.

Ukrainian authorities said Russia fired its biggest ever drone barrage against the country on Sunday night, using 355 Shahed-type drones and nine cruise missiles.

On Monday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said there were “no longer any range restrictions” on missiles supplied by Western allies to Ukraine, meaning military positions in Russia could be targeted.

U.S. President Donald Trump posted on his social media platform TruthSocial on Sunday: “I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!”

Ukraine has received two donated SAMP/T batteries from Italy and France, with the second arriving from Italy in December.

Italy and France jointly supplied a first battery to Ukraine in 2023.

Samp-T is a truck-based tactical antimissile system designed to destroy hostile cruise missiles, manned and unmanned aircraft and tactical ballistic missiles.

The battery sent by Italy last year was one of five operated by Italy.

Last September, Crosetto said Italy would order ten new batteries.

At the time, the Italian minister said European democracies were struggling to procure and produce weapons in a hurry.

“This is only the start and we are already late because we are not ready to face today’s challenge,” he said, adding, “We are slow because we live in a world of democracies that will always lose out to dictatorships.”

Tom Kington is the Italy correspondent for Defense News.

罗马——意大利国防部长表示，明年意大利将把其SAMP/T防空导弹系统的导弹产量提高一倍，据报道，乌克兰的两套防空导弹系统库存即将耗尽。

周一，意大利国防部长圭多·克罗塞托在接受意大利电视台采访时表示，欧洲导弹公司MBDA的意大利分公司今年将把阿斯特导弹的产量提高40%，并在2026年提高100%。

但他补充说，“第一批货物将在一年到一年半后到达。”

这对乌克兰来说并无多大帮助。周一，法国《世界报》报道称，基辅的导弹发射阵地已耗尽导弹，而与此同时，俄罗斯正加大对乌克兰的导弹和无人机袭击力度。

乌克兰当局称，俄罗斯周日晚间对该国发动了有史以来规模最大的无人机袭击，动用了 355 架“沙赫德”型无人机和 9 枚巡航导弹。

周一，德国总理弗里德里希·默茨表示，西方盟国向乌克兰提供的导弹“不再有任何射程限制”，这意味着俄罗斯境内的军事目标可能成为攻击目标。

美国总统唐纳德·特朗普周日在其社交媒体平台TruthSocial上发帖称：“我一直与俄罗斯总统弗拉基米尔·普京保持着非常好的关系，但他现在好像变了个人。他彻底疯了！”

乌克兰已收到意大利和法国捐赠的两块 SAMP/T 电池，其中第二块电池于 12 月从意大利运抵。

意大利和法国于 2023 年联合向乌克兰提供了第一套电池。

Samp-T 是一种卡车式战术反导系统，旨在摧毁敌方巡航导弹、有人驾驶和无人驾驶飞机以及战术弹道导弹。

意大利去年送来的电池是意大利运营的五个电池之一。

去年九月，克罗塞托表示意大利将订购十块新电池。

当时，这位意大利部长表示，欧洲民主国家正努力快速采购和生产武器。

“这仅仅是个开始，我们已经落后了，因为我们还没有准备好应对今天的挑战，”他说道，“我们行动迟缓，是因为我们生活在一个民主世界里，而民主世界总是会输给独裁政权。”

汤姆·金顿是《防务新闻》驻意大利记者。