Finland selects Kongsberg/Raytheon air defence system
NASAMS II system selected over French-Italian SAMP/T system
08:27 GMT, April 30, 2009 The Finnish Ministry of Defence today announced that the team of Norwegian Kongsberg and U.S. Raytheon has been selected to fulfill Finland’s future Medium Range Air Defense Missile System (MRADMS) requirements. The jointly-developed NASAMS IIs system won a competition against the French-Italian (Eurosam) SAMP/T system.
The new NATO-compliant anti-aircraft missile system will replace the Russian-made BUK systems purchased in 1996 that will be taken out of service. The key reason for giving up the Russian systems is their lack of compatibility and interoperability with NATO systems, Defence Ministry sources said. Finland is not a member of NATO, but it has come progressively closer to the Alliance in recent years. The Finnish Government’s “Security and Defence Policy Report”, unveiled in January 2009, states that “Finland regards NATO as the most important military security cooperation organisation”, and “there will continue to be a strong case for considering Finland’s membership of NATO in the future”.
The contract valued at approximately €345 million ($460 million / 3 billion NOK) is Finland’s largest arms acquisition since its purchase of Hornet strike fighter jets back in 1992.
"We're very pleased with the announcement and are committed to supporting the Finnish armed forces in making the MRADMS program a success," said Kongsberg’s CEO Walter Qvam. "The NASAMS system will contribute to ensure Finland’s national security, and the MRADMS project will bring substantial Industrial Participation for Finish industry. It will also open up for increased export possibilities for Finnish industry. "
The new missile defence system is expected to become active after 2015 and will provide Finland with the most recent version of the system: NASAMS II that was completed and delivered to the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) in 2007. “In a Nordic context, this choice of system opens up exciting opportunities for cooperation, operation, maintenance and even further joint Finish-Norwegian evolution of the system", comments Kongsberg’s Harald Ånnestad.
The NASAMS Ground Based Air Defense System is robust, reliable and designed to excel in air defence operations. NASAMS features state-of-the-art sensors, command, control and communication systems and missile technology. The system is a network enabled capability and distributed that utilizes the Raytheon MPQ-64F2 multifunctional radar and the AIM 120 AMRAAM missile in a surfaced launched mode. The Kongsberg -Raytheon team has more than 25 years' joint experience of delivering air defense systems to six NATO customers as well as Sweden.
NASAMS was developed in close cooperation with the Royal Norwegian Air Force during the 1990s and has since then been contracted by the Netherlands, Spain, and the US.
In latter case, the high capacity system was operational in connection with the inauguration of the US president in Washington DC in 2005. It has been in continuous operation ever since.
"Finland’s choice confirms the Kongsberg/Raytheon team’s position as the leading air defence supplier in Europe and NATO”, said Kongsberg’s Harald Ånnestad.
“We look forward to working with the Finnish Defense Forces to provide Finland with the finest medium range air defense system,” said Pete Franklin, vice president, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems’ National & Theater Security Programs. “I am confident that this relationship will be as fruitful and enduring as our relationship with Kongsberg and the Norwegian Air Force.”
Medium range radars will be supplied and long range radars modernised by the French Thales-Raytheon Systems Company. These projects will be realised together with Finnish industrial partners.
Luca Bonsignore
