Lithuania Buys Kongsberg's NASAMS Air Defence Systems

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KONGSBERG) has signed a contract with Lithuania for the delivery of additional NASAMS air defence systems.

As part of this €193 million contract, Lithuania will also upgrade parts of the NASAMS equipment the country acquired in 2017. The acquisition follows the orders placed in December 2023 to increase the number of NASAMS fire units providing Lithuania with the most modern and advanced air defence system.

Previously, Lithuania’s Ministry of Defence has purchased NASAMS missile launchers for donation to Ukraine, where the system has contributed to the protection of people and critical infrastructure.

The NASAMS (Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System) is a medium-range air defense system developed by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and Raytheon Technologies from Norway and the USA. It defends against aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, and cruise missiles, consisting of a Fire Distribution Center (FDC), radar options like MPQ-64 Sentinel or AN/MPQ-65, and 3-6 launchers carrying 6-8 missiles, using AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-9X Sidewinder, or IRIS-T missiles.

With a range of 180 km (111 miles), ceiling of 21 km (13 miles), and speed exceeding Mach 4, NASAMS engages multiple targets simultaneously. The AIM-120 AMRAAM is 3.65 meters (12 feet) long, 17.7 cm (7 inches) in diameter, weighs 157 kg (346 pounds), and carries a 40 kg (88 pounds) fragmentation warhead. The MPQ-64 Sentinel radar operates in the S-band with a 75 km (47 miles) range and 360° coverage.

Upgrades have led to NASAMS II, with enhanced radar and command center, and NASAMS III, integrated with Link 16 and IRIS-T missiles.