Fifteen months into it, the war in Ukraine remains intense, with advancing Russian forces continuing to shell most of the former’s eastern region. The death toll and the destruction of infrastructure continue to rise as Ukrainian troops fight back despite running low on weapons, ammunition, and soldiers.

The State Department recently approved a potential arms sale of the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) to support Ukraine’s continuing fight against the Russian invasion.

The foreign military sale will include one AN/MPQ-64F1 Sentinel Radar, a Fire Distribution Center, canister launchers, and other related equipment. Raytheon System, the manufacturer of the NASAMS, will also provide technical and logistical support, bringing the estimated price tag of the proposed deal to $285 million.

Ukraine requested about eight NASAMS systems from the American defense contractor to strengthen its weakened air defense against Russian aerial assaults and protect Ukrainian troops and civilians, particularly in the hot zones.

The additional arms sale of the NASAMS system is a significant development in the war in Ukraine, and it could further help to tip the balance in favor of the Ukrainian military. In November 2022, the US first announced that it would provide the country with two NASAMS, which had already arrived earlier this year.

Furthermore, the Pentagon awarded Raytheon over a $1.2 billion contract to produce six more NASAMS for Ukraine, with an expected arrival sometime this year. Additionally, the contract included the batteries, training, and logistical support to Ukrainian troops.

Briefly, NASAMS is a medium-to-long-range air defense system capable of shooting down and intercepting various threats from aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, and unmanned drones at a range distance of up to 50 kilometers (31 miles). It consists of three components: a radar, a fire control system, and a launcher capable of loading up to eight missiles.

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Russian invasion of Ukraine situation map as of May 28, 2023 (Image source: Wikimedia Commons)

With high precision, accuracy, survivability, and mobility capabilities, NASAMS is expected to become a valuable asset for the Ukrainian troops struggling to keep up with its air defenses. Since its introduction in service in the mid-2000s, the Raytheon-built air defense system based on AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) has long proven its capacity and success in combat. It has been in service with the United States, Norway (co-developer of the system), and several other countries.

The US is one of Ukraine’s leading military aid supporters, providing the NASAMS and significant other equipment worth billions of dollars since the onset of the Russian invasion. This includes but is not limited to artillery such as M777 howitzers and M270 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems; armored vehicles; anti-tank weapons, including Javelin anti-tank missiles, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, and Switchblade drones; a variety of ammunitions; and other supplies (i.e., medical supplies, communication equipment, etc.). Washington is also in the process of sending 31 modified M1 Abrams, which will include troop operation training.

Bolstering Air Defense ASAP

The arrival of additional NASAMS systems sooner than later will further strengthen Ukraine’s aerial defense against Russia, especially with the latter’s increasing aggressiveness.

Russian forces unleashed possibly one of the worst drone assaults on Kyiv this weekend, bombarding the capital city with a series of deadly air strikes overnight. Media reports dubbed this the largest unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attack since the war broke out in February 2022. Moreover, the drone assault came at pre-dawn as Ukrainians prepared to commemorate its founding anniversary on Sunday, May 28.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force (UAF), they managed to strike down 52 drones out of the 54 UAVs Russian forces launched, identifying these devices as Iranian-made Kamikaze Shahid drones. It is notable, though, that this information has yet to be independently verified.

In his Telegram channel, Andriy Yermak, the head of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s office, brought up how Russia has long been an “irritant” to Ukraine’s founding history. Meanwhile, on a separate Telegram post, the UAF reportedly said that the drone assault has targeted military and critical infrastructures, particularly in Kyiv.

“The attack was carried out in several waves, and the air alert lasted more than five hours,” Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv’s military administration, said. He also noted how the assault served as a “congratulatory” gesture to the people of Kyiv during the capital city’s day.

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