Raytheon Company and Kongsberg have signed an agreement to extend their partnership on the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS).

Dr. Tom Kennedy, Raytheon Chairman and CEO, and Harald Ånnestad, CEO Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace AS, signed the 10-year agreement (photo) during the Paris Air Show.

“Raytheon has partnered with Kongsberg for a decade to develop and produce the most accurate and reliable surface-to-air missile defense capability available. This NASAMS partnership has resulted in a successful system that is now in service around the globe,” said Ralph Acaba, Vice President for Raytheon Integrated Air and Missile Defense.

“We truly value our partnership with Raytheon on NASAMS. Together we have continuously improved the technology base for the benefit of the warfighter. In addition to the successful NASAMS system, our two companies have recently teamed on the Naval Strike Missile and the Joint Strike Missile strike missiles” said Eirik Lie, Executive Vice President for Kongsberg Defense Systems.

The Raytheon and Kongsberg collaboration is focused on optimal system performance and capabilities from sensor to effector for NASAMS users around the world, including incorporation of the new AMRAAM®-ER (extended range) missile. Most recently, NASAMS successfully engaged and destroyed four-for-four in an airborne target live fire exercise conducted by the Royal Norwegian Air Force at the Andoya Rocket Range in Northern Norway.

NASAMS, is a medium-range surface-to-air missile system. This operationally proven system provides the air defender with a tailorable, state-of-the-art system that can defeat current and evolving cruise missile threats and a wide range of air breathing threats. NASAMS works seamlessly with the Patriot Air and Missile Defense System and the Hawk Air Defense System.

Key components of NASAMS are the combat-proven AMRAAM missile with demonstrated operational flexibility in both air-to-air and surface-launch engagement scenarios. The AN/MPQ-64 F1 Sentinel air defense radar is the primary sensing component for the alerting and cueing of targets for NASAMS.

Raytheon Company, with 2014 sales of $23 billion and 61,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity markets throughout the world. Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as cybersecurity and a broad range of mission support services.

KONGSBERG has more than 7,700 employees located in 27 countries and revenues of NOK 16.6 billion in 2014. KONGSBERG is an international, knowledge-based group delivering high technology systems and solutions to clients within the oil and gas industry, merchant marine, defense and aerospace.