The United States is looking for NASAMS to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense as quickly as possible

The United States and NATO allies are in negotiations with a number of Middle Eastern countries to transfer NASAMS air defense systems to Ukraine as quickly as possible, as Politico reports.

This was told to the American media by the CEO of Raytheon Technologies Greg Hayes. This company together with the Norwegian group Kongsberg produces NASAMS.

According to Hayes, the task is to provide Kyiv with air defense systems which are now deployed in the Middle East, within the next three to six months.

Then the United States will instead send new NASAMS to the region over the next 24 months.

“NASAMS systems are deployed in the Middle East and some of our NATO allies, the US is actually working with several Middle Eastern countries that are now using NASAMS systems and trying to send them to Ukraine.”

It is noted that such agreements will allow Ukraine to avoid two years of waiting for new complexes from the Raytheon plant.

Hayes noted that it is faster to move air defense systems from the Middle East than to produce new NASAMS in the United States.

According to him, it now takes two years to create an air defense system because of the time it takes to purchase electronic components and manufacture rocket engines.

Currently, NASAMS are in service in NATO countries such as Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain. In the Middle East, Oman and Qatar have these systems. They are also used by Finland, Australia, Chile and Indonesia.

On December 30 of this year, it became known that the Pentagon signed a contract with Raytheon Technologies to produce six NASAMS anti-aircraft missile systems for the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the amount of more than $1.2 billion.

It should be reminded that a preliminary contract worth $182 million was concluded on August 26. It provides for the delivery to Ukraine of two NASAMS battalions. Thus, Washington intends to supply Ukraine with eight such new air defense systems.