Spain to boost air defence with $438-million NASAMS deal
Spain will acquire additional National Advanced Surface to Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) from Kongsberg for 410 million euros ($438 million).
The acquisition seeks to bolster the Spanish Armed Forces’ air defense by integrating additional systems to its current four.
The contract for the program is expected to be signed next month.
Spain became the first international NASAMS user following the delivery of its first systems in 2003. The country’s NASAMS are currently deployed in the Baltic region as part of NATO’s Air Shielding Mission.
NASAMS on the Battlefield
Operated by 12 countries worldwide, the NASAMS is considered a premier ground-based networked air defense capability with an effective missile range of up to 31 miles (50 kilometers) and a radar tracker that can observe targets as far as 75 miles (120 kilometers).
The battle-tested system has been integrated into the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s defenses, deployed on the frontlines as part of military aid from countries such as Lithuania, Norway, and the US.
To address the growing need for the system in recent months, the Norwegian government has announced a plan to invest 940 million kroner ($88 million) to reduce Kongsberg’s NASAMS delivery times.