Pentagon Seeks NASAMS from NATO, Middle East Allies for Supply to Ukraine

Following NASAMS 'Success' in Ukraine, where the air defense system reportedly shot down 25 out of 25 Russian missiles in recent days, the Pentagon has sought existing systems from allies in Europe and the Middle East to supply to Kyiv which will be backfilled from orders placed on Raytheon earlier this week.

Raytheon Technologies CEO Greg Hayes was quoted as saying by Defense One that U.S. officials are working to broker a deal with NATO and Middle Eastern nations to send some of their NASAMS interceptors to Ukraine.

“The DOD is going to attempt to do some trading for us where we'll take some from the Middle Eastern countries that are our friends and some from our NATO allies, and try and get those into Ukraine early next year,” the CEO said. “Then we'll backfill [those countries] with new production over the next two years.”

Hayes did not mention specific countries.

NASAMS are operated by five NATO members—Hungary, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, and Spain—and Oman and Qatar in the Middle East, according to Forecast International. Australia, Chile, Finland, and Indonesia also operate the system.

In August, the Pentagon awarded Raytheon a contract to deliver two NASAMS to Ukraine. The company won another $1.2 billion yesterday for the remaining six of eight NASAMS interceptors promised to Kyiv by the Biden administration.

“This is going take us a full two years to fulfil this contract,” Hayes said. “Unfortunately, there's no magic box that allows us to just build them every day.”

The Army said it “along with industry partners, will work to shorten the 24-month production lead time associated with production and delivery of NASAMS. This effort further illustrates the urgency the U.S. government is taking in its approach to acquire air-defense systems for our allies and to replenish our own munition stockpiles.”

On the first two days the NASAMS were deployed in Ukraine, 25 incoming Russian missiles were destroyed with 25 interceptors, Hayes said. Last month, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said NASAMS retained that 100% success rate, a claim reiterated on Wednesday by National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.