Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has signed a contract with the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence (MND) for the delivery of more National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), the company announced on 4 October 2024.
As part of the EUR 193 million contract, Lithuania will also upgrade parts of the NASAMS equipment the country acquired in 2017. The acquisition follows an order placed in December 2023 to increase the number of Lithuanian NASAMS fire units.
“Kongsberg sees increased demand from existing NASAMS users to upgrade and expand their NASAMS assets,” Eirik Lie, President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “The NASAMS system is an important defence capacity given the geopolitical situation in the world. The contract with Lithuania also strengthens the country’s partnership with NATO,” Lie added.
Previously, the Lithuanian MND has also purchased NASAMS missile launchers for donation to Ukraine, where the system has contributed to the protection of people and critical infrastructure.
The modularity and open architecture of NASAMS enable the continuous introduction of new technology, which ensures that the system can adapt to new threats and missions throughout its lifetime.
“NASAMS is the market’s most flexible solution, covering a wide range of air defence missions and growth potential for long-range air defence and anti-tactical ballistic missiles as part of the NASAMS architecture, the company noted.
With this procurement Lithuania further strengthens its commitment to the NASAMS community, which currently consists of 13 nations, Kongsberg added.
NASAMS employs the AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile in a surface-to-air mode, although the latest-generation NASAMS can also ground-launch shorter-range AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.
