The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) of Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) programme equipment and support, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 16 May 2024.
The sale, which is worth an estimated USD 250.2 million (EUR 230.6 million), has been passed to the US Congress for final approval.
The NSPA has requested to buy radar equipment spares and additional items and services that will be added to a previously implemented case, the value of which was under the congressional notification threshold. The original FMS case, valued at USD 40.26 million, included AGS system equipment and support, including: AN/APG-68 radar processors; Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle engine controllers; spare components and parts; consumables and accessories; repair and return support; facilities support including storage; technical documentation; software delivery and support; transportation support; US government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; studies and surveys; and other related elements of logistics and programme support.
This notification is for the combined non-major defence equipment (MDE) AGS system equipment and services, including: AN/APG-68 radar processors; Global Hawk engine controllers; communications equipment spares; spare components and parts; consumables, accessories, and repair and return support; facilities support including storage; technical documentation; software delivery and support; transportation support; US government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; studies and surveys; and other related elements of logistics and programme support.
“The proposed sale will improve NATO’s capability to meet current and future threats by improving and sustaining Allied intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities,” the DSCA stated.
The principal contractor for the sale will be Northrop Grumman out of its facilities in Mojave, California.
The NATO-owned and -operated AGS system enables the alliance to perform persistent surveillance over wide areas using a fleet of five RQ-4D Global Hawk high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) UAVs.
The AGS main operating base is located at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy, and hosts around 400 AGS personnel. A small number of AGS staff elements are also based at Allied Command Operations in Mons, Belgium, and at Allied Air Command in Ramstein, Germany.
The AGS system was acquired by 15 NATO allies: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the United States. Shortly after AGS declared initial operational capability on 15 February 2021, responsibility for the sustainment of the AGS capability transferred to all allies, with responsibility for programme management and through-life support passed to the NSPA.
