Documents
Norway Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace
NASAMS
A short-to-medium-range, networked surface-to-air missile system co-developed by Kongsberg and Raytheon, built around the AMRAAM missile family fired from ground launchers. It protects the airspace over Washington, D.C. and has been a priority security-assistance package delivered to Ukraine.
In service since 1998 · 12 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-01
25
km range
15,000
m altitude
72
targets
120
km radar
💲 ≈ $200,000,000, Approximate cost per fire unit battery
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
National export licensing
Subject to Norway export-control approval; verify eligibility with the manufacturer.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Established · 12 operators
In service since 1998. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$500M – $700M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~25 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 4 Mach |
|---|---|
| Engagement range Maximum distance at which an air-defense system can intercept targets. Higher covers more airspace. | 25 km |
| Engagement altitude Maximum target altitude the system can reach. | 15,000 m |
| Simultaneous targets Number of targets the system can engage at once. Higher resists saturation attacks. | 72 |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | AIM-120 AMRAAM (surface-launched, AMRAAM-ER variant) |
|---|---|
| Warhead Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range. | 18 kg |
| Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable. | Blast-fragmentation |
| Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire. | Active radar homing, Inertial + datalink midcourse |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel radar |
|---|---|
| Radar range Published detection range against a typical fighter-sized target. Higher sees first. | 120 km |
| Datalink Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement. | Link 16, FDC network |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $200,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 12 |
Specifications compiled from public Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Rheinmetall Skyranger 30 
KBP Instrument Design Bureau Pantsir-S1 Head-to-head comparisons
NASAMS vs
Cheongung II (KM-SAM Block II) 
Patriot PAC-3 
SPYDER 
SAMP/T (Aster 30) 
HQ-9 Frequently asked questions
What is the engagement range of the Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace NASAMS? +
The Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace NASAMS has a maximum engagement range of 25 km.
What is the main armament of the Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace NASAMS? +
The Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace NASAMS's primary weapon is the AIM-120 AMRAAM (surface-launched, AMRAAM-ER variant).
What is the Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace NASAMS used for? +
The Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace NASAMS is a air defense system typically used for air defense.
How many countries operate the Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace NASAMS? +
The Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace NASAMS is operated by 12 countries.
How much does the Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace NASAMS cost? +
The Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace NASAMS has an approximate unit cost of 200,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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Related coverage
NASAMS in the news
Article guide · Aug 14, 2026
Only 4 of 57 Air Defenses Claim to Reach Space
Of 57 air-defense systems that publish an altitude ceiling, only 4 claim to reach above the Kármán line, the internationally recognized edge of space.
Article guide · Aug 4, 2026
What 'Simultaneous Targets' Means on a SAM Spec Sheet
NASAMS claims 72 simultaneous targets, twice the S-400's 36, despite a 16th of its range. Across 41 systems, the number tracks radar architecture, not range.
News digest · Jul 18, 2026
Gulf War Escalates as Europe's Patriot Shortage Goes Public
A sixth strike wave on Iran and a bigger tanker buildup ran alongside a real Patriot shortfall that pushed four separate European responses inside one week.
News procurement · Jul 8, 2026
Belgium Commits Over €3 Billion to Rebuild Air Defense
Ten NASAMS batteries, 20 Skyranger 30 turrets and 14 Ground Master 200 radars form Belgium's first major air-defense rebuild since the 1990s, built on a shared Benelux architecture with the Netherlands.
News policy · Jul 7, 2026
NATO Allies Pledge €70B Annually for Ukraine at Ankara Summit
An in-depth look at NATO's Ankara summit: a €70 billion-a-year Ukraine aid pledge, the road from a 2% to a 5%-of-GDP spending target, and why Turkey's grip on the Black Sea straits made it the venue.
Article buying · Jul 3, 2026
Patriot vs S-400 vs SAMP/T: Air-Defense Buyer's Guide
Patriot vs S-400 vs SAMP/T: Patriot suits US-aligned buyers, S-400 fits sanctions-tolerant states, SAMP/T is Europe's sovereign option.