The French Air Force’s air defence artillery squadron (EDSA) has received the first section of the Mamba medium range surface-to-air missile, also called the sol-air moyenne portee terrestre (SAMP-T).

The SAMP-T can protect a point or an area against threats, including tactical ballistic missiles, within a radius of several tens of kilometres and can fire in bursts.

The system, which was first test fired in July 2008 on the Biscarosse (Landes) firing range, has been jointly developed by France and Italy through the Eurosam joint venture company.

The air force plans to equip its five air-defence squadrons based at Mont-de-Marsan, Saint-Dizier, Avord, Istres and Luxeuil, with ten sections of the SAMP-T missiles.