“Ukraine urgently needs to increase its defense capabilities against Russian missile strikes and aircraft,” the US Agency for Security and Defense Cooperation said in a statement.
She added that the acquisition and deployment of this system “will enhance Ukraine’s ability to defend its people and protect critical national infrastructure.”
The statement added that the sale would not require the posting of employees or contractors under contract with the US government to work in Ukraine.
The State Department approved the sale, and the Agency for Security and Defense Cooperation on Wednesday provided the required notification to Congress, which must approve the sale.
Countries including the United States, which supports Ukraine in its fight against Russian forces, have donated military equipment worth tens of billions of dollars to Kiev, but the latest deal will take the form of a sale.
Ukrainian air defenses have played a major role in protecting the country from strikes and preventing Russian forces from controlling its airspace.
When Russia launched its military operation in February 2022, Ukraine’s air defenses consisted largely of Soviet-era aircraft and batteries.
But Kiev has since strengthened its arsenal considerably, thanks to Western support, which has included units from the Nasams.
“NASAMS” system… miraculous abilities
The Norwegian “NASAMS” system entered service in 1998 and is a medium-range air defense system, designed and developed jointly by the American companies Raytheon and the Norwegian defense and aviation industry Kongsberg, mainly for the Royal Norwegian Air Force. This system can be deployed to detect, track, engage and destroy fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. The system is characterized by the ability to engage 72 targets simultaneously. The main missile of the system is the AIM-120 AMRAAM (the range of the missile when launched from the ground is between 15 and 25 kilometers, depending on the type of version). The system consists of the MPQ-64 F1 Sentinel surveillance and reconnaissance radar, produced by Raytheon, which is a high-precision three-dimensional radiation radar for detecting and tracking air targets. The missile system is also equipped with AIM-120 AMRAAM missile launchers, an electro-optical and infrared sensor, a communication network and an integrated and autonomous mission planning tool. The NASAMS can launch missiles other than the AIM-120 AMRAAM, such as the AIM-9X Sidewinder and the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile ESSM. The advanced system is equipped with three multi-mission launchers, each carrying up to six missiles ready to be fired from protective containers. The system has a 360 degree defense capability and is suitable for day and night operations in all weather conditions. The system is equipped with a fire distribution center (FDC) with a command and control unit to perform the functions of combat management, control, communications, data link management, trajectory assessment and threat, distribution of weapons and display of results.
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