On October 26, 2017, KONGSBERG has signed a contract worth 109 MEURO (approx. 1.000 MNOK) with the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Lithuania to supply a NASAMS air defence system.

Lithuania announced 21 October 2016 an agreement with the Norwegian Ministry of Defence on procurement of NASAMS components; today’s contract includes new additional equipment, training and integrated logistics support package, as well as refurbishment and integration of government supplied components for a complete NASAMS system.

«We are pleased that the Lithuanian Armed Forces has chosen NASAMS. NASAMS, produced by KONGSBERG and Raytheon, is the most sold air defence system in NATO in recent years, and will be the backbone air defence system for many nations in decades to come», says Eirik Lie, President, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS.

 

KONGSBERG, in partnership with Raytheon, is offering one of the most modern and flexible medium-range air defence systems in the world: NASAMS – Surface Launched AMRAAM System.

Characteristics:

• Open architecture provides growth potential
• Single and multiple engagement capability
• Unprecedented fire capability
• Beyond visual range capability with active seeker missile
• Strategic and high mobility
• Low manpower requirements
• Network Centric Warfare principles of operation
• High survivability against electronic countermeasures
• Look down/shoot down capability
• High value asset defense, area and army defense, vital point and air base defense

Unlike many international air defense systems either in use or in development, NASAMS is truly a netted and distributed system.

 

Integration of sensors

The proven, fielded, reliable and highly capable NASAMS system contains a BMC4I (Battle Management, Command, Control, Computers, Communications, and Intelligence) Air Defense capability through the integration of sensors and launchers. It employs the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AIM-120) as the primary weapon. Targets are detected and tracked by a high-resolution, 3D pencil beam radar. Multiple of these radars and the associated Fire Distribution Centres (FDCs) are netted together via radio data links, creating a real-time recognized air picture.

NASAMS can fire on target data provided by external sensors. Advanced emission control features of the radars minimize the risk of revealing the NASAMS unit’s own position. The FDC automatically performs track correlation, identification, jam strobe triangulation, threat evaluation and weapon assignment. The AMRAAM missiles used within NASAMS are identical to those used on fighter aircraft, yielding considerable rationalization returns for the user.

 

NASAMS in operation

The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) was the first customer to introduce the NASAMS (Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System) program. Because of their success during NATO live flying exercises, NASAMS batteries are taken extremely serious by NATO aircrew. From 2004, NASAMS is earmarked by the Norwegian armed forces to be deployed in support of international crisis management operations.

NASAMS is under continuous development and every new program is adapted to the latest available technology. Currently, NASAMS is in use in 6 different nations.

The Turnbull Government has provided approval for the development of a Short-Range Ground Based Air Defence system to improve protection for deployed personnel.

Minister for Defence Senator the Hon Marise Payne said the project is the first step in the development of the Australian Army’s contribution to the Australian Defence Force’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence Program announced in the 2016 Defence White Paper.

The Government will invest up to $2 billion in the system which will provide the inner most layer of Australia’s enhanced integrated air and missile capability. The capability will be operated by the Army’s 16th Air Land Regiment.

«A modern and integrated ground-based air defence system is needed to protect our deployed forces from increasingly sophisticated air threats, both globally and within our region», said Minister Payne.

«Australia’s current short-range capability is 30 years old and due to be retired early next decade. The replacement system will provide improved protection for our deployed servicemen and women».

A Single Supplier Limited Request for Tender will be released to Raytheon Australia in the first half of 2017 to develop its highly successful National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS) for the Australian Defence Force.

Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, said the project would seek to maximize Australian industry content to ensure our defence dollar helps deliver local jobs and economic growth.

«Through a Risk Mitigation Contract, the Government will ensure there are opportunities for Australian industry participation, with direct access to Raytheon Australia for local businesses to showcase their abilities», Mr. Pyne said. «As part of this contract Raytheon will hold workshops across the country to engage with local industry, giving them an opportunity to be part of the supply chain for this project worth up to $2 billion. Defence will collaborate with Raytheon Australia and Canberra-based CEA Technologies to look at integrating the Canberra-based firm’s radar into an upgraded NASAMS. CEA Technologies’ ground breaking phased array radar system has already been incorporated into Australia’s ANZAC class frigates and this project will trial the technology in a land-based role».

Through the Risk Mitigation Activity Defence and Raytheon will also investigate using Thales Australia’s ‘Hawkei’ protected mobility vehicle, manufactured in Bendigo, Victoria, as a potential platform for the system’s missile launchers.

Defence will complete a detailed analysis prior to returning to Government for final consideration in 2019.

During a press meeting on 06 February, 2017 Minister of Defence Ine Eriksen Søreide announced the decision to conduct the project for providing the Army a Mobile Ground Based Air Defence System in a direct acquisition with KONGSBERG. The Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency will initiate the acquisition process with KONGSBERG to define the final configuration and system solution before the delivery contract is signed. The deliveries are planned for 2018 to 2021.

Army Ground Based Air Defence is a highly mobile, short-range air defence system based on some existing elements in today’s structure in combination with the acquisition of some new elements. The system will reuse National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS) command and control and its unique network solutions. KONGSBERG has been a supplier of air defence solutions to the Norwegian armed forces through several decades, from canon and gun systems to today’s modern NASAMS. NASAMS has also been the foundation for significant competence developments and spin-off’s to other technology areas. The Army Mobile Ground Based Air Defence system will be a world leading solution with unique capabilities to combat modern airborne threats, as well as having the ability to integrate with networks with other sensors and weapons. «NASAMS is a very important product for KONGSBERG and one of the most successful internationally. We are very pleased to be have been chosen as supplier for the Army Mobile Ground Based Air Defence. This will add further capabilities to the Norwegian air defence community, and secure jobs in Kongsberg and for a large number of subcontractors throughout Norway», says Eirik Lie, President of Kongsberg Defence Systems.