A NASAMS AMRAAM-ER interceptor is launched at a Meggitt Banshee 80 target drone at the Andøya Space centre, Norway, in 2016. (Raytheon)
The US Department of State has approved the possible sale to Taiwan of equipment including the Kongsberg/Raytheon National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMSs) and the Lockheed Martin AN/TPS-77 and Northrop Grumman AN/TPS-78 radars systems.
The Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DCSA) announced on 25 October that the deals are worth a combined USD1.98 billion. DSCA said Congress has been notified about the potential Foreign Military Sale (FMS) programmes.
The NASAMS deal, worth USD1.16 billion, features three air-defence systems as well as three AN/MPQ-64F1 Sentinel radar systems, 123 Raytheon Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles-Extended Range (AMRAAM-ER), and other associated equipment.
DSCA said, “The proposed sale will improve the recipient's capability to meet current and future threats by contributing to the recipient's abilities to defend its airspace, provide regional security, and increase interoperability with the United States through its NASAMS programme.” DSCA said Raytheon is the prime contractor.
NASAMS is a networked medium-range air-defence system developed through US co-operation with Norway during the 1990s. According to Kongsberg, the NASAMS is air transportable by the C-130 Hercules aircraft and by helicopter. Its AMRAAM-ER, which has a launch weight of 279 kg, has an estimated range of about 40 km.
The FMS deal to supply Taiwan with the AN/TPS-77 and AN/TPS-78 radar systems is worth USD828 million. DSCA said the deal includes the radars as well as spare and repair parts, accessories, repair support, and training.
“The proposed sale will improve the recipient's capability to meet current and future threats by providing multimission ground-based radar solutions for medium- to long-range air surveillance,” the DSCA said.
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