The US State Department has approved possible Foreign Military Sales to Norway and Romania of AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs), the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 22 August 2024.
Both sales have been passed to the US Congress for final approval.
Norway has requested to buy 100 AMRAAM-Extended Range missiles and four AMRAAM AIM-120C-8 guidance sections in a package worth USD 405 million, while Romania has requested to buy up to 186 AIM-120C-8 AMRAAMs and four AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM guidance sections in a package worth an estimated USD 592 million.
Both packages include spares, accessories, software, training equipment and various aspects of engineering, technical, logistics and programme support.
Regarding Norway, which already has AMRAAMs in its inventory, the DSCA stated that the package would improve the country’s capability to meet current and future threats “by supplementing and replacing Air Intercept Missile 120B (AIM-120B) AMRAAMs with the more capable AMRAAM-ER”, adding that the newly acquired missiles “will be used for ground-based air defense in the Norwegian Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS)”.
Romania also already has AMRAAMs in its inventory. The DSCA stated that this latest sale “will improve Romania’s capability to meet current and future threats by further equipping Romania to conduct self-defense and regional security missions while enhancing interoperability with the United States and other NATO members”.
The principal contractor in both cases will be RTX Corporation out of its facilities in Tucson, Arizona.
