The first time a minicopter lands on your roof and someone drops through a hatch you forgot to close, you learn why every serious base in Rust has a SAM site on top. It is a powered rocket turret that locks on to anything flying near your base and fires homing missiles at it until it goes down. It also shoots incoming MLRS rockets out of the sky, which makes it the only real answer to artillery.
This Rust SAM site guide covers how to get one, the 500 scrap price, SAM ammo and what it costs in sulfur, the 25 power it needs, exactly what it will and will not shoot, Attacker and Defender mode, how to destroy one cheaply, and where to put yours. If you are still setting up the rest of your defences, our auto turret guide covers the ground side.
- What It Is
- Stats
- How to Get One
- SAM Ammo
- Power
- What It Shoots
- Defender Mode
- SAM vs MLRS
- Raid Cost
- Monument SAMs
- Tips
- FAQ
What Is a SAM Site in Rust?
SAM stands for surface to air missile. In Rust the SAM site is a deployable anti-air turret: a round concrete base with a six tube rocket pod and a small radar on top. The in-game description sums it up as “a surface to air rocket site. Requires 25 electricity to function.” It sits in the Traps category alongside the auto turret, flame turret and shotgun trap, but it does a completely different job.
Once it is powered and loaded, the SAM site scans the sky around it. When a player-flown aircraft comes into range, it locks on and fires homing SAM rockets, one straight away and the rest in quick succession, until it has fired six. Then it reloads and goes again if the target is still up. It never shoots at players on foot, so it is not a replacement for turrets. It is there to stop people landing on your roof and to swat MLRS barrages before they land.
SAM sites came to Rust in late 2018 alongside the hot air balloon. They have been tuned several times since: they stopped shooting clan members in October 2024, and the 2026 Breach and Clear update made their missiles faster against drones with a bigger detonation radius, so they finally deal with delivery drones properly.
SAM Site Stats
| Stat | SAM site | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Health | 1,000 HP | Same as an auto turret or armored door |
| Power | 25 power | Constant draw, it will not target without it |
| Range | About 150 m | Roughly one grid square |
| Ammo | SAM Ammo only | No other rocket fits |
| Volley | 6 rockets | Then it reloads before firing again |
| How to get | Outpost, about 500 scrap | Not craftable, not researchable |
| Decay | 12 hours | Without upkeep |
| Recycles into | 30 high quality metal | 20 at a safe zone recycler |
| Shortname / item ID | samsite / -1009359066 | See our Rust item IDs list |
How to Get a SAM Site in Rust
There is exactly one way to get a SAM site: buy it at Outpost. It has no crafting recipe, no blueprint and no node on the Workbench tech trees, so you can never make one yourself. The weapons vending machine at Outpost sells it for a baseline of 500 scrap.
Outpost uses dynamic pricing, so 500 is the middle of the range rather than a fixed price. When a lot of players on the server are buying SAM sites the price climbs, and on a quiet server it drops. Buy early in the wipe if you can, before every group on the server wants one at once. Farming the scrap is the real cost here, and our Rust scrap guide has the fastest ways to get it.
Unwanted SAM sites recycle into 30 high quality metal at a normal recycler, which is a poor return on 500 scrap but better than letting one decay.
SAM Ammo: Recipe and Cost
A SAM site only fires SAM Ammo. Normal rockets, HV rockets and incendiary rockets do not fit. One craft of 1 metal pipe and 30 gun powder makes 6 SAM rockets at a Workbench Level 2 once you have the blueprint.
| SAM Ammo | Value |
|---|---|
| Recipe | 1 Metal Pipe + 30 Gun Powder |
| Makes | 6 rockets per craft |
| Sulfur per rocket | About 10 (60 per craft, gun powder is 2 sulfur each) |
| Workbench | Level 2 |
| Research table | 30 scrap |
| Stack size | 1,000 |
| Recycles into | 3 gun powder, 10% chance of a metal pipe |
At about 10 sulfur a shot, SAM ammo is cheap next to raid explosives: one craft of 1 pipe and 30 gun powder makes 6 rockets, a full volley, for about 60 sulfur. The metal pipe is the real bottleneck, since the same pipes build your rockets. Our gunpowder guide covers the cheapest way to make the powder. Outpost also sells SAM ammo if you do not have the blueprint yet.
How to Power a SAM Site
A SAM site draws 25 power and it has to be constant. With less than that, it simply does not target anything, however much ammo is inside. That is more than double an auto turret, so plan your electricity around it.
- Wind turbine. Free power and the usual choice. Put it as high as you can, since output rises with height.
- Large solar panels. Work well in daylight but you need several per SAM, and they give nothing at night.
- Large battery. Charge it from your turbine or panels so the SAM stays up overnight and in calm weather.
- Smart switch or RF receiver. Put one between the power and the SAM so you can turn it off before you fly home. More on why below.
- Splitter. Lets one battery feed several SAM sites. Remember every one draws its own 25.
What Does a SAM Site Shoot?
A SAM site shoots things that fly and are flown by players. It ignores everything on the ground.
| Target | Shot at? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Minicopter | Yes | 750 HP, the easiest aircraft to down, especially while landing or taking off |
| Scrap transport helicopter | Yes | 1,000 HP, takes more rockets |
| Attack helicopter | Yes | Its decoy flares can pull missiles away |
| Hot air balloon | Yes | Slow, an easy target |
| Drones | Yes | Much more reliable since the 2026 Breach and Clear update |
| MLRS rockets | Yes | Shot down mid flight, in either mode |
| Players on foot | No | Use auto turrets and traps for that |
| Patrol helicopter and Chinook | No | Only with server plugins |
| Clan members | No | Since October 2024 |
| Anything below the SAM | No | It does not fire downwards |
Two things catch people out. First, your tool cupboard does not protect you. A SAM site has no authorisation list, so in its default mode it will shoot your own minicopter as happily as anyone else’s, even a parked one on a roof above it. Clan members are the only exception. Second, a SAM does not fire at anything below its own height, which is why pilots hug the terrain past defended bases. A SAM on the ground floor protects almost nothing. Put it on the roof.
Fast minicopters flying straight past often dodge the whole volley. Aircraft that slow down to land, hover or take off are the ones that die. That is fine, because landing on your roof is exactly what you are trying to stop.
Attacker vs Defender Mode
Every SAM site has two modes. Look at it and hold E (the use key) to switch between them.
- Attacker mode is the default. The SAM fires at any player aircraft in range, yours included, plus MLRS rockets.
- Defender mode ignores aircraft completely and only fires at incoming MLRS rockets. Use it if your group flies a lot and you mainly want artillery cover.
If you want the SAM to shoot other people’s helis but not yours, Defender mode is not the answer. Wire a smart switch or RF receiver into its power so you can switch it off from your phone with Rust+ or an RF broadcaster before you come in to land, then turn it back on once the heli is inside.
SAM Sites vs the MLRS
The MLRS fires up to 12 rockets that take around a minute to land, which gives a SAM site plenty of time to lock on. A powered, loaded SAM will shoot the rockets down mid flight. One SAM is a gamble, two is decent, and about three SAM sites reliably stop a full 12 rocket barrage before any of it lands. If you expect artillery, three SAMs is the cheapest insurance in the game.
How to Destroy a SAM Site (Raid Cost)
A SAM site has 1,000 HP but it is surprisingly weak to fire. You do not need explosives at all.
| Tool | Amount | Sulfur |
|---|---|---|
| Molotov Cocktail | 2 | 0 |
| Incendiary Rocket | 1 | 300 |
| Satchel Charge | 2 | 960 |
| F1 Grenade | 20 | 1,200 |
| Beancan Grenade | 16 | 1,920 |
| Timed Explosive Charge (C4) | 1 | 2,200 |
| Explosive 5.56 Ammo | 200 | 5,000 |
| Rocket | 4 | 5,600 |
| High Velocity Rocket | 34 | 6,800 |
| MLRS Rocket | 3 | Loot only |
If you are raiding a base with open rooftop SAMs, clear them with molotovs or a single incendiary rocket before anyone takes off. Never spend C4 on one. For the numbers on walls and doors, use our Rust raid calculator.
Monument SAM Sites
You will also meet SAM sites you cannot pick up. Launch Site has static monument SAMs guarding the rocket and the rooftops, so flying a minicopter straight onto the monument is a quick way to lose it. Monument SAMs need no power and never run out of ammo, but they still have the lock-on delay and reload after six rockets. You can damage one enough to knock it offline for a while, but it comes back. Land well outside the walls and walk in.
SAM Site Tips
- Put it up high. A SAM will not fire below itself, so the roof is the only place it does its job.
- Three for MLRS. If artillery is a threat, spread three SAM sites over the base.
- Protect it from fire. Two molotovs kill an exposed SAM. Put it behind half walls or on a roof raiders cannot easily reach.
- Wire a switch. A smart switch or RF receiver on its power stops it shooting down your own heli.
- Keep it loaded. Top it up after every fight. An empty SAM is a 500 scrap roof ornament.
- Pair it with turrets. SAMs ignore players on foot, so cover the roof with an auto turret too.
A SAM site is a mid wipe purchase for most groups. Check when the next force wipe is before you spend the scrap, because it does not survive the wipe.
SAM Site Rust FAQ
How do you get a SAM site in Rust?
You buy it from the weapons vending machine at Outpost for about 500 scrap. The price is dynamic, so it moves up and down with demand. SAM sites cannot be crafted or researched.
How much power does a SAM site need?
A SAM site needs a constant 25 power. With less than that it will not target anything. A wind turbine or a large battery charged by solar panels is the usual setup.
What is the range of a SAM site in Rust?
About 150 metres, which is roughly one grid square. It will not fire at anything below its own height, so place it on your roof.
How do you make SAM ammo in Rust?
One craft of 1 metal pipe and 30 gun powder at a Workbench Level 2 makes 6 SAM rockets, about 60 sulfur in total or 10 per rocket. The blueprint costs 30 scrap at a research table, and SAM ammo stacks to 1,000.
Will my SAM site shoot my own minicopter?
Yes. In the default Attacker mode a SAM site shoots every player aircraft in range, including yours, because it has no authorisation list. Only clan members are safe. Put a smart switch or RF receiver on its power and turn it off before you land, or use Defender mode.
What is Defender mode on a SAM site?
Defender mode makes the SAM site ignore aircraft and only shoot incoming MLRS rockets. Look at the SAM site and hold E to switch between Attacker and Defender mode.
How many SAM sites stop an MLRS barrage?
About three. The rockets take around a minute to land, so three powered and loaded SAM sites will reliably shoot down a full 12 rocket barrage before it hits.
What is the cheapest way to destroy a SAM site?
Two molotov cocktails, which cost no sulfur, or one incendiary rocket for 300 sulfur. It also takes 2 satchel charges (960 sulfur), 1 C4 (2,200 sulfur) or 4 rockets (5,600 sulfur).
Do SAM sites shoot the patrol helicopter?
No. On vanilla servers SAM sites do not target the patrol helicopter or the Chinook. Some modded servers change that with plugins. They do target the player attack helicopter.
Sources and Further Reading
- Health, decay, recycle yield, SAM ammo recipe and research cost, and per-tool raid numbers: RustHelp, SAM Site and SAM Ammo
- Targeting, Defender mode and monument SAMs: RustClash, SAM Site
- Drone targeting changes: Facepunch, Breach and Clear
- Item ID and shortname: Rust game files, see our Rust item IDs list