The U.S. Department of War has announced that Raytheon has been awarded a firm-fixed-price contract worth $698,948,760 to manufacture NASAMS fire units for Taiwan.
Placed by the U.S. Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, the agreement forms part of a larger Foreign Military Sales effort intended to boost Taiwan’s air defense capabilities.
With Chinese military activity increasing near the island — and growing concerns over drone and cruise missile attacks — the contract underscores Washington’s intent to maintain Taiwan’s ability to defend key facilities and military assets.
Developed jointly by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace of Norway and Raytheon, NASAMS is a short- and medium-range air defense system capable of engaging helicopters, aircraft, UAVs, and cruise missiles.
Its core interceptor is the AIM-120 AMRAAM, which is widely used on Western fighter aircraft, simplifying sustainment and allowing air and ground forces to rely on common stockpiles.
A typical NASAMS battery features multiple launcher canisters, an AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel 3D radar, electro-optical targeting devices, and a Fire Distribution Center (FDC), all connected via a distributed network architecture.
The NASAMS 2 and NASAMS 3 variants introduced Link 16 and other standardized data links, as well as new missile choices such as the AIM-9X and AMRAAM-ER, enabling engagements at greater distances and higher altitudes while distributing sensors and launchers for improved battlefield survivability.
