The National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), jointly developed by Kongsberg and Raytheon, is a network-centric, short to medium range ground-based air defense system currently deployed in 13 countries, including Ukraine. Known for its modular design and ability to defend wide geographical areas, NASAMS continues to evolve with multi-missile capability, long-range integration, and full-spectrum coverage.
In an interview with Defensehere.com, Hans Christian Hagen, Vice President of Business Development – Integrated Defence Systems at Kongsberg, provided insights into NASAMS’ operational structure and unique features.
Hagen explained that each NASAMS fire unit typically consists of a command and control center, launchers equipped with missiles, and radar systems. These fire units are networked together, enabling simultaneous engagement of up to 72 individual targets with 72 ready-to-fire missiles. The system’s distributed command network ensures that all operators share an identical air picture and enables optimized target assignment to avoid overkill and maximize efficiency.
He emphasized the architecture’s flexibility, noting that NASAMS can integrate a wide range of assets from long-range radars and launchers to V-SHORAD and counter-UAS systems, all remotely commanded through the Fire Distribution Center. This design enables a scalable, full-spectrum air defense solution tailored to evolving threats.
Hagen also underlined NASAMS’ missile flexibility. The canister launchers can deploy three different Raytheon missiles: the AMRAAM, AMRAAM-ER, and AIM-9X Sidewinder. These offer distinct performance profiles, including infrared and active radar guidance, and can be launched interchangeably from the same system. According to Hagen, this multi-missile capability is unmatched by any competitor.
You can watch the full interview with Hans Christian Hagen below: