Kongsberg Defence Australia (KDAu) is delighted to receive the first shipment of NASAMS Mk 2 Canister Launchers from KONGSBERG recently delivered to Raytheon Australia’s Centre for Joint Integration. These Canister Launchers are now being painted by our local South Australian supplier, Wingfield-based Defence Coating Systems, whilst KDAu conducts final Factory Acceptance Testing and support to system level NASAMS testing activities. The NASAMS Mk 2 Canister Launchers that will be provided to the Australian Army as part of the LAND19 Ph 7B program is the most modern launcher configuration capable of firing multiple complementary missile types.
NASAMS (National/Norwegian Advanced Surface to Air Missile System) is a distributed and networked medium to long range surface-to-air missile defense system developed by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KDA) and Raytheon. NASAMS was the first application of a surface-launched AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile). NASAMS 2 is an upgraded version of the system capable of using Link 16, which has been operational since 2007. NASAMS 3 is the latest upgrade deployed in 2019; it adds capability to fire AIM-9 and IRIS-T SLS short-range missiles and AMRAAM-ER extended range missiles, and introduces mobile air-liftable launchers.
NASAMS is in operational use in the United States, Norway, Spain, the Netherlands, Finland, Indonesia and one undisclosed customer. Chile is though not mentioned as an official user. The system is in production for Oman, Lithuania, Australia, Hungary and Qatar. NASAMS is in use with both Armies and Air Forces around the world. Several NASAMS were used to guard air space over Washington, D.C. during the 2005 United States presidential inauguration, and are used to protect air space around the White House. In addition Poland, Greece, Sweden and Turkey operate the KONGSBERG Command and Control solution for various weapon systems.
On 20 June 2019, Kongsberg was awarded a contract by Raytheon Australia worth US$185m for delivery of NASAMS components, while Raytheon Australia is the prime contractor to deliver NASAMS to the Australian Government Land 19 Phase 7B program. The Australian version of NASAMS GBAD will feature locally made components, such as CEA tactical (CEATAC) and towed CEA operational (CEAOPS) active electronically scanned array radars, and High Mobility Launchers and radar carries built on Hawkei PMV vehicles instead of HMMWV. It also includes AN/AAS-52 Multispectral Targeting System (MTS)-A with a high resolution day/night imaging sensor and integrated laser rangefinder.
