The US Army awards $182 million for NASAMS contract for Ukraine

The US Army has awarded a $182 million contract to the military-industrial corporation Raytheon Technologies to develop NASAMS anti-aircraft missile systems. It is expected that they will be transferred to Ukraine.

"Raytheon Missiles & Defense and our partners are working diligently to quickly deliver this critical, proven air defense capability to help the Ukrainian people defend their homeland," said Tom Laliberty, president of a Raytheon Missiles & Defense business area.

The corporation did not specify how many systems the US Army ordered and how long it would take to produce them.

NASAMS is an advanced short- to medium-range ground-based air defense system. Ukraine needs them to destroy Russian cruise missiles. These systems can hit targets at a distance of more than 160 km, but Ukrainian forces may have to undergo appropriate training.

On August 8, the US first announced the transfer of ammunition for NASAMS to Ukraine, and the systems themselves, according to a Pentagon representative, were to arrive in a few days. And on August 24, Independence Day, the US announced a new military aid package with 6 additional NASAMS and ammunition for them.

Raytheon Technologies is an American company, one of the largest defense and industrial corporations in the country and the world in the field of development and production of weapons, aviation and space technology, electronics, etc. The largest manufacturer of guided missiles in the world.