The Norwegian Kongsberg Group announced that on November 21, 2024, it signed a contract worth NOK 12 billion ($1.08 billion) for the supply of six batteries of the NASAMS medium- and short-range anti-aircraft missile system and four batteries of the new NOMADS short-range self-propelled anti-aircraft missile system to the Dutch armed forces as part of the Dutch comprehensive air defense modernization program CITADEL. Deliveries will begin in 2028.
Self-propelled launchers of the new Kongsberg NOMADS short-range anti-aircraft missile system (National Manoeuvre Air Defense System), purchased by the armed forces of Norway and the Netherlands (c) Kongsberg
In June 2023, the Dutch Ministry of Defense announced a decision under the CITADEL program to purchase NASAMS air defense systems from the Norwegian Kongsberg group in standard (in the NASAMS 3 variant) and in a new self-propelled version (the latter was then named NOMADS - National Manoeuvre Air Defense System). In October 2024, the Dutch Defense Ministry notified the Dutch Parliament about the main parameters of the upcoming contract.
The NASAMS air defense systems purchased by the Netherlands will have standard six-container launchers and must use guided anti-aircraft missiles AMRAAM-ER, AIM-120C-7/C-8 AMRAAM and AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder. NOMADS self-propelled SAMs will use AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder missiles. The purchase of missiles manufactured by the American RTX Corporation (Raytheon) will be carried out separately. In addition, additional MMR detection radars will be purchased from the Dutch branch of the Thales Group (Thales Nederland) to complete these batteries.
Since 2013, the 13th Air Defense Battery of the Netherlands Army has already been armed with a set of NASAMS II air defense systems. It is reported that as part of the signed contract, it will also be upgraded (and, according to a number of reports, expanded into two batteries at the same time).
The NOMADS short-range self-propelled air defense system was developed by Kongsberg in the interests of the armed forces of Norway and the Netherlands. The Norwegian Army became its first customer, planning to receive six batteries in 2026-2028. NOMADS uses self-propelled launchers based on the tracked armored chassis Armoured Combat Support Vehicle G5 (ACSV G5, aka RMMS) manufactured by the German company Flensburger Fahrzeugbau GmbH (FFG). The self-propelled launchers are equipped with an aerial target detection radar manufactured by the Danish company Weibel (with AFAR) on a lifting mast and two double-loading inclined containers with anti-aircraft guided missiles with a range of up to 15 km. Although German IRIS-T missiles were used during testing of prototypes of the complex in 2023-2024, however, Norway and the Netherlands ordered serial complexes designed with AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder missiles. Fire control and communication systems are similar to those used in NASAMS air defense systems. The self-propelled launchers are also equipped with a 12.7mm Kongsberg Protector remote-controlled machine gun combat module and jamming equipment for UAVs. With the purchase of NOMADS, the Netherlands became the second customer of FFG ACSV G5 armored chassis after Norway. In the Dutch army, the NOMADS air defense systems should replace the 18 Stinger self-propelled air defense systems currently used as a means of military air defense based on the Fennek wheeled combat reconnaissance vehicle.
Self-propelled launchers of the new Kongsberg NOMADS short-range anti-aircraft missile system (National Manoeuvre Air Defense System), purchased by the armed forces of Norway and the Netherlands (c) Kongsberg
