Since the midst of the First World War and the adoption across the European continent of Woodrow Wilson’s “Fourteen Points”, Europe has relied continually on the air defence and arms of the United States to ensure stability and security across the continent.
However, in recent years – specifically this decade – the mood in all corners of Europe has soured, and the interest in maintaining American dominance within European defence strategy has remarkably decreased since the outbreak of the Ukranian-Russia war.
Europe’s ongoing reliance on the US-built Patriot air defence system has come under renewed scrutiny, as France and Italy push forward with the next-generation SAMP-T NG, a Franco-Italian system developed by MBDA, Thales, and Leonardo.
This move signals a broader ambition to assert European strategic autonomy in a domain still dominated by American defence giants, with France and Italy set to deploy the system in 2026, and Belgium and Denmark evaluating potential acquisitions, the momentum appears real. Thales has already tripled radar production in anticipation, underscoring industrial commitment behind the rhetoric.
Yet political unity remains elusive. Germany’s European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI), ostensibly a collaborative European defence framework, has shown clear preference for US and Israeli alternatives, notably Patriot and Arrow 3.
The question, then, is not just whether SAMP-T NG can match the technical capability of Patriot, but whether Europe has the political will to back its own systems at scale.
The SAMP-T NG is a new European air defence system built by France and Italy to shoot down incoming missiles and aircraft. It’s designed by a partnership between two major defence companies, Thales (from France) and MBDA (from Italy). What if offers countries willing to buy it from 2026 is 360° AESA – electrically scanned – radar coverage.
On top of that, the system has the ability to blast Aster30b1NT missiles up to a range of 150km, and can support local defence attempts with SHORAD Launchers, all deployable within just 30 minutes.
Thales, a major French aerospace and defence group, supplies the system’s radar and engagement modules, enabling high automation and interoperability with NATO.
By contrast, the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI), led by Germany, leans heavily on tried-and-tested non-European systems, including the US-made Patriot and Israel’s Arrow 3. These systems are undeniably effective and already widely used, offering a sense of reliability and interoperability within NATO.
The SAMP-T NG, on the other hand, is a homegrown European solution. It’s not just a weapons system, it’s a statement of strategic autonomy. Developed entirely by European firms, it offers the possibility of a more self-reliant and coordinated European defence policy, free from transatlantic political uncertainty.
This political shift has not occurred in isolation; it is mirrored in the spending habits of European states once content to rely on American might.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, nations on the EU’s eastern flank have responded not only with rhetoric, but with cash. Poland now spends a staggering 4.7 per cent of its GDP on defence, with plans to climb even higher by mid-decade, making it NATO’s most hawkish spender after the United States.
The Baltic states, long attuned to the threat of Russian aggression, are following suit. Lithuania has pledged up to 6 per cent, Latvia and Estonia over 3 per cent and 4 per cent respectively.
Even the traditionally cautious United Kingdom has made a shock pledge to spend 5 per cent of GDP on defence by 2035.
This wave of investment marks a fundamental redefinition of European defence identity: No longer passive clients of American security, but increasingly assertive actors preparing, politically and materially, to stand on their own.
European leaders have increasingly voiced support for SAMP‑T NG as part of a broader drive toward defence sovereignty. France’s President Emmanuel Macron has been especially vocal, urging allies to “stop buying American”. Italy’s defence minister Guido Crosetto highlighted Italy’s order for ten systems and underscored their fully European origin. Meanwhile, MBDA CEO Éric Béranger noted rising inquiries from European states about non‑US systems, calling it a “political shift”.
Europe’s move toward homegrown defence systems like SAMP-T NG signals a quiet but meaningful shift in its relationship with the US.
As calls for strategic autonomy grow louder, the long-standing reliance on American military hardware is being reassessed. This won’t end transatlantic cooperation, but it may rebalance it, shifting the dynamic from dependency to partnership and forcing both sides to rethink the future of NATO and collective defence.
Featured image via kirill_makarov / Shutterstock.
