The formal declaration of the system’s full capability was presided over by the Undersecretary of State for Defence, Heng Chee How, at a ceremony held at the II Lim Chu Kang camp in the northwestern part of Singapore’s Northern Region. The Undersecretary unveiled a commemorative plaque and expressed gratitude to the air force personnel and other entities involved in enabling the system to defend the nation’s airspace.
The upgraded SAMP/T units were delivered to Singapore in 2018 and have since been integrated into the local air defence system. This integration process is now deemed complete, allowing SAMP/T to operate in conjunction with other air defence units, command and control systems, to provide a multi-layered air defence capable of countering various aerial threats, including aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, and guided missiles.
Major Graci Wong, commander of the 163 Squadron, stated that her unit has been operating the SAMP/T system with Aster 30 missiles since 2020, and it represents the final key component connected to the Singapore Air Force’s air defence network. Among Singapore’s air defence systems, the Aster 30-equipped SAMP/T boasts the longest range, up to 70 km, and can engage targets at altitudes of 18-20 km (according to various sources). The missile, measuring 5 meters in length and weighing 450 kg, is launched from eight-cell launchers mounted on MAN TG trucks.
In Singapore’s air defence architecture, the SAMP/T system forms the upper tier, complementing the short-range Spyder-SR and the very short-range RBS-70 and Igla systems.
