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.

Engagement

25 km

💲 Approximate cost per fire unit battery

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

17th pct in class
Engagement range Maximum distance at which an air-defense system can intercept targets. Higher covers more airspace.: 25 km

0th pct in class
Engagement altitude Maximum target altitude the system can reach.: 15,000 m

0th pct in class
Simultaneous targets Number of targets the system can engage at once. Higher resists saturation attacks.: 72

83th pct in class

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

40th pct in class
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

0th pct in class
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

67th pct in class
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.: 12

67th pct in class

Specifications compiled from public Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.

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.