National Advanced Surface-To-Air Missile System:
The United States recently announced the approval of a $285 million sale of a NASAMS air defense system and related equipment to Ukraine.
- NASAMS (National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System) is a medium-range ground-based air defense system.
- It is designed to engage air targets at low and medium altitudes in all weather conditions.
- It was designed and developed jointly by Raytheon (United States) and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (Norway).
- It is used by Norway, the United States, Canada, Chile, Finland, Indonesia, Netherlands, Oman, Qatar, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine.
- It is best suited to defend important stationary assets, such as key military assets, infrastructure, or cities.
- It has been integrated into the S. National Capital Region’s air defense system since 2005.
- It is the world’s first networked short- and medium-range air defense system that could integrate with other equipment and air defense systems.
- It features an X-Band, 360-degree phased array air defense radar with a 75-kilometer range to identify targets.
- The NASAMS is armed with three launchers, each carrying up to six missiles.
- The system can engage 72 targets simultaneously in active and passive modes.
- It uses AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, which have been modified for ground launch and have an engagement range of about 30 kilometers.
