France has ordered the development of a multi-layer version of the SAMP/T NG air defense system that will fire both the long-range ASTER and the short-range MICA VL missiles under a single command, the French Ministry of Armed Forces announced on June 10, 2026.
The contract for the new version, designated ASTER/MICA VL and developed in cooperation with Italy, was placed on April 30, 2026, by the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) on behalf of the French defense procurement agency (DGA). It was awarded to Eurosam, the consortium formed by MBDA and Thales, and also involves the two parent companies.
The development aims to give the SAMP/T NG a short-range capability with the MICA VL missile, complementing the long-range and anti-ballistic missile coverage already provided by the ASTER. It rests on the integration of the VL MICA system’s engagement chain into the SAMP/T NG command center.
A proportionate response to each threat
The change will require physical and software modifications to the SAMP/T NG’s new-generation engagement module (ME NG) and Ground Fire 300 radar. Once completed, the system will combine the medium and long-range ASTER B1 and B1NT with the short-range VL MICA and VL MICA NG missiles in their infrared and electromagnetic versions.
The engagement module will then coordinate fires across the two missile families, selecting the effector best suited to each target. The ministry said the goal is a proportionate response at a time when aerial threats are growing in number and diversity, whether proliferating or more complex.
France’s short-range ground-based air defense currently relies on VL MICA sections operated by the French Air and Space Force, deployed for the first time to protect the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris. Multi-layer employment is already possible, but only through the higher-level CMD3D command system, which coordinates separate weapon systems that each retain their own command center.
Eight sections delivered from 2030
Under the contract, the eight SAMP/T NG sections planned in France’s 2024-2030 military programming law will be delivered to the French Air and Space Force from 2030 directly in the multi-layer ASTER/MICA VL configuration.
The order adds to a series of recent milestones for the Franco-Italian program. The ASTER 30 B1NT missile completed a second development test firing in July 2025, Italy took delivery of its first SAMP/T NG systems in January 2026, and Denmark signed the first export contract for the system in April 2026. Switzerland is also weighing the SAMP/T NG as a candidate for a second long-range layer, having canvassed European and other suppliers in May 2026 as its US Patriot order faces years of delays and possible cost overruns.
The ministry added that the architecture is designed to keep evolving, with the integration of the very short-range MISTRAL 3 and counter-drone systems into the same multi-layer framework as the next step. Though it was not named in this announcement, the French Air and Space Force confirmed in April 2026 that it would acquire seven RapidFire systems, the 40mm gun developed by KNDS France and Thales, to protect air bases against drones and saturation attacks.