Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, and the US Air Force Research Laboratory Strategic Development Planning and Experimentation (SDPE) office have demonstrated the ability of the NASAMS air defence system to provide a layered air base air defence capability.
In a recent test at Norway’s Andoya Air Station, NASAMS system successfully fired AIM-9X, AMRAAM, and AMRAAM-ER missiles to engage incoming cruise missile targets at various distances. The test was designed to assess the NASAMS system’s ability to fire all three missile variants when integrated with US Army radars and the USAF’s BC3 command and control (C2) capability.
The test saw the radar pass targeting information to BC3, which in turn relayed data to the NASAMS Fire Distribution Center (FDC) for threat evaluation and weapon assignment. The FDC operator then used the develop a kill chain by selecting and firing the most effective missile from the NASAMS multi-missile canister launcher.
“We demonstrated how integrated defense solutions enable the warfighter to deploy the right effector at the right time and at the right target,” president of Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Wes Kremer said in a 7 September release. “Using fielded systems, our goal is to provide customers the quickest, most effective way to protect their people and critical infrastructure with layered cruise missile defense.”
Eirik Lie, president of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace added, “This experiment demonstrates NASAMS’ flexibility, providing the operator with enhanced firing alternatives to successfully execute complex threat scenarios employing a range of missiles.”
USAF SDPE program manager, Jim Simonds added, “Our intent was to inform strategic investment decisions through the evaluation of low-cost, high technology readiness level capabilities that could provide near term air base air defense capability. This layered defense solution can provide immediate defensive capability at a fraction of the price of currently fielded systems.”
The Australian Army has selected a developed version of NASAMS utilising CEA Technologies’ phased array sensors and Thales and Rheinmetall armoured vehicles for its LAND 19 Phase 7B short range ground based air defence requirement, and the system is currently being integrated by a Raytheon Australia led team at the company’s Centre for Joint Integration in Adelaide.