ByREUTERS

JULY 6, 2026 12:49

According to five sources close to the issue, France now shows willingness for a potential sale of the Franco-Italian SAMP/T air defense system to Turkey following prolonged political resistance, which could lead to more meaningful negotiations with Ankara.

Four sources noted this change came after discussions between French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at a June 25 summit before the NATO gathering in Turkey this week, though talks are still preliminary.

"Previously there was clear resistance, but now there is receptiveness," one source involved in the talks stated.

The French presidency received questions about this report but cited "significant inaccuracies" without confirmation or further details on those points.

France's foreign ministry declined to comment and referred to the French presidency, as did the defense ministry. Turkey's foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

SAMP/T Talks Advance Among Meloni, Macron, Erdogan

The sources indicated Paris has moved past some earlier political concerns that stalled progress, even as some doubts persist.

Turkey, France and Italy began cooperation on a possible long-range air defense initiative from 2017 to 2018, covering studies on joint development and production.

The effort halted amid worsening relations between Paris and Ankara over Syria and Libya, plus Eastern Mediterranean disputes involving Greece and Cyprus.

The SAMP/T, known also as Mamba, comes from the Franco-Italian Eurosam group involving MBDA France, MBDA Italy, and Thales.

This setup tracks many targets at once, counters multiple threats simultaneously, and stands as the sole European system claiming ballistic missile interception capability.

Frequently seen as Europe's nearest match to the US Patriot, opinions vary on its performance, with some noting limited real-world testing over time.

Turkey maintains NATO's second-largest military force, yet air defense poses challenges since it lacks comprehensive indigenous missile protection and depends on NATO assets and aircraft.

Ankara seeks the system for its planned "Steel Dome" integrated air and missile defense setup.

Political Momentum Builds, Turkish Official Notes

One source mentioned Meloni and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addressed the topic in a July 3 call.

Defense Minister Yasar Guler informed Reuters in June that Ankara reviews choices such as the US Patriot and SAMP/T while staying open to deals with technology sharing and joint manufacturing.

A Turkish official explained the process stalled since 2020 because of Eastern Mediterranean strains and European Union sanctions.

"It now seems political commitment exists across all three parties (Turkey, Italy, France) to move this forward," the official remarked.

Outside Paris and Rome, the system has reached only Singapore, though units went to Ukraine lately, and France used it this year to aid the United Arab Emirates against Iranian missile threats.

Italy dispatched the system to Turkey in mid-June under NATO defense arrangements.

Any agreement would likely focus on the updated version now entering French and Italian service.

Erdogan and Macron plan a meeting on NATO summit sidelines to cover bilateral matters, officials stated.

Period of Political Strains

Erdogan at NATO's 2025 summit in The Hague already pressed Macron to lift opposition once ties between the leaders improved.

Two sources warned France must address concerns from Greece and Cyprus on any sale, given existing strategic defense pacts with both nations.

For years Turkish officials viewed France publicly and privately as the main political barrier to the program, while Italy has supported sharing SAMP/T to boost defense industry ties.

Progress has picked up in the past year as Ankara steps up missile defense efforts amid regional tensions and NATO partners review cooperation and needs.

The sources emphasized France's new stance does not equal approval for a sale.

"This marks only the start. It will take time if France proceeds with a sale," said Murat Aslan, defense and security researcher at Turkey's SETA foundation.