ISTANBUL

Denmark has signed a €500 million ($580 million) contract with Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace to acquire the NASAMS air defense system, the Norwegian firm announced Thursday.

The deal will provide Copenhagen with what Kongsberg described as “the most modern and advanced air defence capability in the world," the company said in a statement.

Eirik Lie, the head of Kongsberg, said the purchase represents a significant step forward for Danish national security.

“With this procurement Denmark will significantly enhance the country’s operational capabilities and the ability to effectively combat modern air threats, and furthermore strengthen the overall NASAMS air defence presence in the Nordic region,” he said.

The NASAMS package combines Raytheon radars and missile variants with Kongsberg’s Fire Distribution Center and multi-missile launchers.

The modular, open-architecture system allows operators to integrate new technologies and expand capabilities over time.

NASAMS can deploy a mix of interceptors, including the AMRAAM, the extended-range AMRAAM-ER, and the AIM-9X Sidewinder, enabling both medium- and short-range air defense coverage.

Kongsberg said NASAMS’ flexibility gives it “growth potential” toward longer-range air defense missions and even anti-tactical ballistic missile capability as part of the wider NASAMS architecture.

With this latest procurement, Denmark becomes the 14th NASAMS user nation and the 8th within NATO, further expanding the system’s footprint across Europe and North America.