Comment by bluGill
2 days ago
This is the first I've heard of them, and Ukraine isn't demanding them. Either that means they are somehow worse than nothing, or the EU cannot supply them even though they exist on paper (based on planned increases I'm guessing the later). Remember military equipment that you don't have when needed is no better than fiction.
Both system have been sent to Ukraine and Ukraine would not mind having more of them, but as I said it is a matter of numbers (2 or 3 SAMP/T systems in Ukraine, out of about 15 totally produced). In the case of SAMP/T, the system is used just by Italy, France and Singapore, and as those countries are not as militarly active as the US, they don't have practical results to show to help with sales, which becomes a self-reinforcing (negative) trend.
Both systems seem to have been successful in Ukraine up to now, and this may help with their sales.
They are both (IRIS and SAMP) in Ukraine, doing an excellent job from what I read. I'm sure Ukraine are asking for them, as they are very expensive and it would be insane to gift the if not wanted.
Many European countries chose Patriot for diplomatic reasons. The US used to favour those who bought their weapons. Not any more it seems, so I guess that mistake will not be repeated in the near term.
What about Rafale and Gripen, have you ever heard about those?
Those are airplanes, not air defense systems. Useful but for different purposes.
The EU can't supply those in large numbers either though.