Kuwait moves forward with NASAMS acquisition

One of Qatar's mobile NASAMS launchers displayed at the DIMDEX exhibition in January 2026. Visible are two AIM-120 AMRAAM training rounds with what are presumably models of the longer-range AMRAAM-ER missile either side. (Janes/Akshay Arkane)

Kuwait has decided to acquire the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), a contract announced by the US Department of Defense on 15 April 2026 has revealed.

The contract announcement identified Kuwait as one of six customers for a USD235 million contract awarded to Raytheon to transition the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile Extended Range (AMRAAM-ER) into full-rate production.

It announcement not refer to NASAMS but the AMRAAM-ER was specifically developed as a surface-to-air missile for the ground-based system. Four of the other five customers for the contract - Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Norway - already operate NASAMS and the fifth, Taiwan, has ordered it.

The US government announced in October 2022 that it had approved the sale of NASAMS to Kuwait but no progress was reported on the programme until now.

Developed by Raytheon and Norway's Kongsberg, NASAMS combines launchers for the AIM-9X Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles with a fire-control unit, Raytheon's AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel radar, and an optional vehicle-mounted electro-optical target detection and tracking system.

Raytheon's parent company RTX announced the first flight test of the AMRAAM-ER on 27 February 2024. It combines an AIM-120 active-radar guidance system with a more powerful rocket motor to extend its engagement range and altitude. Kongsberg said at the time that a larger launcher had to be developed for the new missile.