The US State Department has approved Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Denmark and Norway of AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) and related equipment, the US Defense Security and Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has stated.
The Danish FMS, announced on 7 June 2024, is worth an estimated USD 215.5 million (EUR 198.7 million) and covers 84 AIM-120C-8 AMRAAMs and three AIM-120 guidance sections.
The Norwegian sale, announced on 11 June, is worth an estimated USD 1.94 billion and covers 300 AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM and 20 AIM-120C-8 guidance sections.
Both FMS cases, which have been forwarded to the US Congress for final approval, include spares, consumables, support equipment and various aspects of engineering, technical, logistics and programme support.
The DSCA stated that the proposed sale to Denmark will improve its “capability to meet current and future threats by ensuring it has modern, capable air-to-air munitions” and “will further advance the already-high level of [Royal] Danish Air Force interoperability with US Joint Forces and other regional and NATO forces”.
Denmark already has AMRAAMs in its inventory.
The proposed sale will to Norway, the DSCA stated, will improve its “capability to meet current and future threats by supplementing and replacing its AIM-120B AMRAAMs with the latest version of the AIM-120C”, adding that the newly acquired missiles “will be used for ground-based air defense in the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) but may be subject to dual use with the F-35A”.
Both countries are F-35A operators; Denmark has ordered 27 F-35As and received its first aircraft in country in 2023, while Norway has ordered 52 F-35As and declared an initial operating capability with the type in 2019.
The principal contractor for AMRAAM sales to Denmark and Norway will be RTX Corporation out of its facilities in Tucson, Arizona.
