The original was taken from a colleague andrej_kraft in Echeloned air defense with NASAMS SAMIn continuation of the topic:
Then Raytheon Missiles & Defense announced that they were planning new tests on Annaya in the second quarter. But neither they nor KDA shared any more news."
But on September 6, 2022, Raytheon immediately reported on conducting a whole experiment to demonstrate the possibility of echeloned air defense of a conditional airbase to protect against cruise missile attacks using the upgraded NASAMS air defense system.
Launch of the AMRAAM-ER from the NASAMS Mk.2 at the landfill Andøya Space Center © Kongsberg Defense & AerospaceDuring a comprehensive test at the end of August - beginning of September 2022 at the Anneya training ground in Norway, it was successfully possible to consistently shoot back from the upgraded Raytheon NASAMS Mk PU.
2 on unmanned targets simulating cruise missiles, first with a long-range missile, then medium and finally short-range.
Upgraded PU Raytheon NASAMS Mk.2 In addition to the standard AIM-120 SD, AMRAAM can launch long-range AMRAAM-ER and small-range AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II from the guides of its containers © Raytheon TechnologiesThe experiment was conducted by the American company Raytheon Missiles & Defense (RMD) and the Norwegian Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace (KDA) in partnership with the Office of strategic Planning and experiments SDPE (Strategic Development Planning and Experiment) research laboratory of the US Air Force AFRL (Air Force Research Laboratory).
During the experiment, the actual capability of a complex field control system developed by Raytheon Solipsys was evaluated. At the same time, the US Army radar detected targets, transmitted information on them to the BC3 Combat Space Command and Control Center, from there key information on targets was relayed to the FDC battery Fire Control Center (Fire Distribution Center) of KDA. The operator of the battery-operated FDC gearbox used the received control unit to close the chain of destruction, choosing and launching the most effective of the available missiles in the containers of the new NASAMS Mk PU.2 RMD companies.
Wes Kremer, President of RMD: "We have demonstrated how integrated solutions allow us to use the right air defense effector at the right time and for the right purpose <...> Our goal is to use field systems to provide customers with the fastest and most effective way to cover their personnel and critical infrastructure with echeloned air defense to protect against cruise missiles."
Jim Symonds, head of the AFRL Laboratory's SDPE experimental program: "The US Air Force must protect its air bases, both in Europe and in other regions of the world. Our goal was to make strategic investment decisions by evaluating low-cost, high-tech high-readiness capabilities that could, in the short term, provide the air defense capability of an airbase <...> Our multi-level system can immediately provide the required protection capability at the expense of the cost of currently existing systems."
Eirik Lee, President of KDA: "The experiment demonstrates the flexibility of the NASAMS air defense system, providing the operator with advanced firing capabilities using different types of missiles to successfully repel complex threat scenarios."
You can compare the new NASAMS Mk launcher.2 (top) and standard PU (bottom) and consider some of the main differences.
Given that at least two countries - Qatar and Hungary - have already ordered NASAMS with AMRAAM-ER missiles, most likely they will be supplied with versions of the complex with an upgraded PU. In addition, it is believed that the new missile defense system is also of interest for future stages of the Australian Army LAND 19 Phase 7B project with enhanced eNASAMS capabilities, which are currently under development by a consortium of Raytheon Australia, Kongsbarg, CEA Technologies and their subcontractors. Well, and the similarity of the Australian eNASAMS PU with the upgraded Mk launcher.2 is visible on the renders with the naked eye.
name/file/img/predpolagaemaya-konfiguraciya-zrk-enasams-avstraliiskoi-armii-copy-raytheon-jjhtej46-1665148321.t.jpg " title="Proposed configuration of the Australian Army's eNASAMS air defense system © Raytheon">
The proposed configuration of the eNASAMS SAM of the Australian Army © RaytheonIn conclusion, it may be recalled that the American army was initially not interested in the NASAMS air defense system, choosing instead the Israeli Iron Dome.
But the US Air Force clearly likes the Kongsberg-Raytheon development more, so there are possible options here.
