Raytheon wins $1.2 billion surface-to-air missile order for Ukraine

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army awarded Raytheon Missiles and Defense a contract worth as much as $1.2 billion to deliver six National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System batteries for Ukraine .

The contract is part of the fifth Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative package and includes training and logistical support to Ukraine’s military and security forces, the Army said in a a Nov. 30 statement.

Raytheon, the world’s second-largest defense contractor , won a contract in August to deliver to NASAMS batteries to Ukraine as part of the third USAI package. The new contract is a follow-on.

The first two NASAMS batteries, capable of firing AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles, have been delivered and deployed and “have successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of the systems against the threat,” according to the Army.

Pentagon officials have said the first NASAMS were able to be purchased quickly because the bulk of the systems had already been produced.

The NASAMS was developed by Norwegian defense company Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and Raytheon. They are used to defend the National Capital Region in the U.S. from possible air threats but are otherwise not used in operations by the U.S. Army.

“These are proven systems that will continue making a difference on the battlefield,” William LaPlante, under secretary for defense for acquisition and sustainment, said in the statement.

It takes 24 months lead time to produce and deliver NASAMS, though the Army and industry are looking for ways to shorten that timeline.

“This effort further illustrates the urgency the U.S. government is taking in its approach to acquire air-defense systems for our allies and to replenish our own munition stockpiles,” the Army said.

“The rapid award of this contract is another example of the Army’s ability to accelerate the delivery of critical capabilities through our industry partners to our allies,” Doug Bush, the Army’s acquisition chief, added.

The work to award Raytheon a contract was led by the Army’s Program Executive Office for Missiles and Space, along with others across the Defense Department.

Ukraine has requested an integrated air and missile defense system that the U.S. and other allies are striving to fulfill. The system would be made up of short-range, low-altitude systems; medium-range, medium-altitude systems; and long-range, high-altitude systems that together would neutralize the threat of Russian aircraft and missiles.

Ukrainian forces had been using Russian-made SA-6 and SA-8 air defenses. In addition to NASAMS, the country also asked for Cold War-era Hawk systems - a medium-range, medium-altitude system, that’s considered to still be effective.

Joe Gould, Defense News staff, contributed to this report.

Jen Judson is an award-winning journalist covering land warfare for Defense News. She has also worked for Politico and Inside Defense. She holds a Master of Science degree in journalism from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kenyon College.

华盛顿——美国陆军授予雷神导弹与防御公司一份价值高达 12 亿美元的合同，为乌克兰提供 6 套国家先进地对空导弹系统。

美国陆军在 11 月 30 日的一份声明中表示，该合同是第五项乌克兰安全援助计划的一部分，包括向乌克兰军队和安全部队提供培训和后勤支持。

全球第二大国防承包商雷神公司于8月赢得一份合同，将作为美国陆军航空兵（USAI）第三批物资的一部分，向美国国家航空航天局（NASA）向乌克兰交付导弹防御系统（MSA）电池。这份新合同是前一份合同的后续合同。

据陆军称，首批两套能够发射 AIM-120 先进中程空空导弹的 NASAMS 导弹系统已经交付并部署，“成功证明了该系统对抗威胁的有效性”。

五角大楼官员表示，首批 NASAMS 系统能够迅速采购，是因为大部分系统已经生产出来了。

NASAMS系统由挪威国防公司康斯伯格防务与航空航天公司和雷神公司联合研发。它们用于保卫美国首都地区免受潜在空中威胁，但美国陆军在其他作战行动中并不使用。

“这些都是经过验证的系统，它们将继续在战场上发挥作用，”国防部负责采购和保障的副部长威廉·拉普兰特在声明中表示。

生产和交付 NASAMS 需要 24 个月的准备时间，不过陆军和业界正在寻找缩短这一时间的方法。

“这项举措进一步表明，美国政府在为盟友获取防空系统和补充自身弹药储备方面所采取的紧迫态度，”陆军表示。

“这份合同的迅速授予再次证明了陆军有能力通过我们的行业合作伙伴，加快向盟友交付关键能力，”陆军采购主管道格·布什补充道。

授予雷神公司合同的工作由陆军导弹与航天项目执行办公室牵头，国防部其他部门也参与其中。

乌克兰已请求建立一套综合防空反导系统，美国及其盟国正努力满足这一请求。该系统将由短程低空系统、中程中空系统和远程高空系统组成，共同应对俄罗斯飞机和导弹的威胁。

乌克兰军队此前一直使用俄制SA-6和SA-8防空系统。除了NASAMS系统外，乌克兰还要求提供冷战时期的“鹰”式防空系统——这是一种中程、中空防空系统，至今仍被认为有效。

《防务新闻》记者乔·古尔德对本报道亦有贡献。

珍·贾德森是一位屡获殊荣的记者，为《防务新闻》报道陆地战争。她也曾为《政治报》和《内幕防务》工作。她拥有波士顿大学新闻学硕士学位和凯尼恩学院文学学士学位。