The Spanish Government has announced plans to update and acquire an additional NASAMS platform from Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. 

The milestone comes as the Spanish Armaments Directorate (Dirección General de Armamento y Material – DGAM) filed a notification of award for the NASAMS modernisation programme on 19 April. 

Through this modernisation programme, Spain’s Government aims to enhance the country’s air defence capabilities, while further strengthening the existing partnership between Spain and Norway. 

The estimated value of this NASAMS upgrade programme is around €410m (Nkr4.81bn).  

Kongsberg and the Spanish Government are expected to formalise a contract related to this programme next month. 

NASAMS, a medium-range air defence system, is a collaborative offering from Kongsberg and Raytheon.  

The system includes an advanced medium-range air-to-air missile, the Sentinel radar and Kongsberg’s fire distribution centre. 

It is designed to be adaptable, allowing air defenders to effectively identify, engage, as well as destroy a variety of threats, including uncrewed aerial systems, enemy aircraft and cruise missiles. 

Kongsberg said that Spain was the first international user of the NASAMS platform and has operated the system for more than two decades.  

Spanish NASAMS units are presently deployed in the Baltics region to support NATO’s Air Shielding Mission.  

NASAMS is currently operational in approximately 13 NATO and partner nations worldwide, including Australia, Finland, Norway, Hungary, Indonesia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Oman, Qatar, Spain and the US. 

In 2023, Estonia announced the deployment of Spain’s NASAMS unit from April until August to secure the Ämari Air Base in northern Estonia.  

This deployment is under the command of NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe.