Norway to arm Ukraine with NASAMS ground based air defence system

Norway has announced its plans to provide Ukraine with two NASAMS firing units in collaboration with the United States, according to a statement released on the Norwegian government's website. The move comes at a time when Ukraine faces a crucial need to defend itself against missile attacks. Bjørn Arild Gram, Norway's Minister of Defense, stated that his country is committed to assisting Ukraine in this regard. The joint effort by Norway and the United States is expected to bolster Ukraine's defense capabilities against potential threats. 

Last autumn, the US provided two firing units to Ukraine. According to a statement released by the Norwegian government, the addition of two more NASAMS firing units will significantly enhance Ukraine's ability to defend its cities and critical infrastructure from Russian missile attacks. The Norwegian government has also committed to providing training to Ukrainian personnel in the maintenance and operation of the system. This move comes amidst Norway's pledge to offer assistance worth EUR 7.5 billion to Ukraine over the next five years, which includes military, economic, and humanitarian aid in response to Russia's ongoing war of aggression.

Norwegian defence minister was in Ukraine this week

Norwegian defence minister Mr. Bjørn Arild Gram was in Ukraine this week, to meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. "More than a year has passed since the Russian regime started its war against Ukraine. The war has had enormous consequences. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians and service personnel have been killed. Millions have been forced to flee their homes. Large parts of the country have been reduced to ruins. The devastation is difficult to comprehend. Seeing this with my own eyes makes a deep impression," the Norwegian defence minister said, according to a statement released by the Norwegian government. 

A look at NASAMs

NASAMS stands for National/Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System. It is a medium-to long-range air defense system that was developed jointly by the Norwegian company Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace and the American company Raytheon. The system is used to protect critical infrastructure and military installations against airborne threats, such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and cruise missiles.

The NASAMS system is designed to be highly mobile and flexible, and it can be deployed in a variety of different configurations to suit different operational requirements. The system consists of a command and control unit, a number of truck-mounted launchers, and various types of missiles. The command and control unit is responsible for managing the entire system, including target acquisition, tracking, and engagement. The launcher units are equipped with canisters that hold up to six missiles each, and they can be configured with a mix of different missile types, depending on the specific operational requirements.