Australia readies for Enhanced NASAMS canister launcher deliveries

Norwegian Technical Support Staff loading AMRAAM missiles into the Australian Army's NASAMS Mk 2 Canister Launcher as part of Factory Acceptance Testing in Kongsberg, Norway from October to December 2021. (Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace)

The first three Mk 2 Canister Launchers (CLs) for the Australian Army's future Enhanced National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS) capability are expected to arrive in-country in April, following the completion of Factory Acceptance Tests at the Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace facility in Kongsberg, Norway from October to December 2021.

Approved in March 2017 as the preferred solution for the Australian Department of Defence's (DoD's) Land 19 Phase 7B requirement, Enhanced NASAMS will deliver a tactical mobile short-range ground-based air-defence (SRGBAD) system that will replace the Australian Army's legacy RBS-70 manportable short-range air-defence system. Land 19 Phase 7B is being delivered by prime contractor Raytheon Australia, with the support of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and Kongsberg Defence Australia.

The Factory Acceptance Tests represent a critical production milestone for Project Land 19 Phase 7B, paving the way for the initial shipment of Mk 2 CLs to Australia, and integration with the Enhanced NASAMS architecture. “The tests verified that the system meets the stated specification requirements and the NASAMS CL are ready for further integration and testing at the higher system level,” a Kongsberg Defence Australia spokesperson told Janes .