Norway receives US Department of State approval for AMRAAM order

The US Department of State approved the sale of 265 AMRAAMs to Norway. Oslo plans to use the air-to-air missile on its F-35A fleet. (Lockheed Martin)

The US Department of State has approved a possible USD950 million Foreign Military Sale of AIM-120 C-8 or D Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) to Norway, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said on 15 July.

The Norwegian government requested up to 205 Raytheon AIM-120 D-series AMRAAMs, up to 60 AIM-120 C-8 or D-series AMRAAMs, and four AIM-120D AMRAAM guidance sections. The request also included support equipment, spare parts, and maintenance support.

“The proposed sale will improve Norway's capability to meet current and future threats by providing advanced air-to-air capability for its F-35A fleet, enabling it to fulfil NATO missions and meet US European Command's goal of combined air operations interoperability and standardisation between Norwegian and US forces,” the DSCA said.

The AIM‐120D is an upgraded version of the AIM‐120C‐7 variant, with an extended range, improved guidance, enhanced datalinks, and upgraded software. The AIM-120C-8 is an ‘export-only' variant of the missile.