The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense announced that country’s Air Force has accepted delivery of a new NASAMS (National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System) medium-range air defense systems.

“On June 19 the NASAMS (National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System) medium-range air defense systems procured from Norway were delivered to the Air Defence Battalion of the Lithuanian Armed Forces,” it said in a statement. “The modern air defense equipment will provide the Lithuanian Air Force with a several tens of kilometres effective range capability.”

A standard NASAMS unit has a modular design comprising a command post the FDC, an active 3D radar Raytheon AN/MPQ-64F1 Sentinel, a passive electro-optical and infrared sensor and a number of missile canister launchers with AMRAAM missiles. Normally, a number of NASAMS fire units are netted together in a uniquely designed ”hard-realtime” communication network to ensure minimum latency over large distances for maximum system performance utilizing the unique capabilities of the AMRAAM missile.

“Arrival of the systems has made the Lithuanian air defence stronger and contributes to further strengthening of deterrence. If we link together all elements of the defense system, we get good results that will make potential aggressor think twice, and consequently give us more security and discretion,” Chief of Defence of Lithuania Lt Gen Valdemaras Rupšys says.

The procured NASAMS systems comprise many components – fire control centres, missile launchers, communications equipment, etc. Lithuania also upgraded the RBS70 short-range air defence systems it has been using, both systems will be integrated to form an overall Lithuanian airspace defence shield.

Training of qualified personnel for work with the new equipment began in Norway in the end of last year according to methodology and programs developed by the Norwegian Armed Forces and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. Further training will be carried in Lithuania by Norwegian professionals on the ground, in the Air Defence Battalion. The personnel is planned to be fully trained by 2021 and integration of the systems into the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System (NATINAMDS) will begin.