The Netherlands has awarded Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace a $1.1 billion contract to supply advanced air defense systems to the country. The deal was finalized on Thursday, following the Dutch government’s recommendation to Parliament in October as part of its Citadel defense initiative.
Medium-Range Missiles
Kongsberg will supply its National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, or NASAMS, jointly developed with RTX business Raytheon, to improve and expand on the Netherlands’ ground-based systems initially acquired in the early 2000s.
The medium-range air defense system targets and destroys fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles.
Currently operated by 13 countries, NASAMS integrates Kongsberg’s Fire Distribution Center and Raytheon’s 3D AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel radar and uses effectors such as the Advanced Medium-Range Air-To-Air Missile and AIM-9x missile.
NOMADS Procurement
The deal with Amsterdam also includes the procurement of NOMADS, short for National Manoeuvre Air Defence System, a ground-based air defense solution developed to complement NASAMS’s capabilities.
It features a short-range air defense module mounted on an armored mechanized vehicle and a platform-agnostic design ideal for high-mobile forces near or at the frontline.
Currently fielded by the Norwegian Army, NOMADS allows autonomous and networked operations across various vehicles and full integration with NASAMS and NATO systems.
Integrated Air Defense System
Kongsberg President Eirik Lie said the award makes the Netherlands the first international customer of the NOMADS system.
“By selecting NASAMS and NOMADS, the Netherlands will enhance its air defense capabilities with an integrated system that covers short- and medium-range threats,” the executive added.
Kongsberg expects to start delivering the units in 2028.