The U.S. Department of State approved a possible sale to India of an Integrated Air Defense Weapon System (IADWS) for $1.9 billion, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on Monday, February 10.
India has requested the $1.867 billion (INR 13,500 Crore) IADWS system “to modernize its armed forces, and to expand its existing air defense architecture to counter threats posed by air attack,” DSCA said in a release.
The approval includes five AN/MPQ-64Fl Sentinel radar systems, Fire Distribution Centers (FDC), Electrical Optical/Infrared sensor systems, and Multi-spectral Targeting System-Model A (MTS-A).
It also includes 118 AMRAAM AIM-120C-7/C-8 missiles, three AMRAAM Guidance Sections, four AMRAAM Control Sections, and 134 Stinger FIM-92L missiles, along with Dual Mount Stinger Air Defense Systems and Vehicle Mounted Stinger Rapid Ranger Air Defense Systems, canister launchers and high mobility launchers.
Additionally, the potential sale includes 32 M4A1 rifles, 40,320 M855 5.56mm cartridges, communications equipment, range and test programs, infrastructure improvements, U.S. government and contractor support, training equipment, and other logistics and program support.
The sale would “contribute to India’s military goal to update its capability while further enhancing greater interoperability between India, the U.S., and other allies,” DSCA said.
The Raytheon Corporation and Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace are the prime contractors.
Integrated Air Defense Weapon System
Norway-based Kongsberg says the ground-based medium-range National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System can be closely integrated and adapted to a country’s integrated air and missile defense system.
NASAMS employs the AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) as the primary weapon. It can also fire the RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile, AIM-9X Sidewinder and can be modified to use other weapons including indigeneous missiles.
The modular system is designed with an active 3D radar Raytheon AN/MPQ-64F1 Sentinel, a passive electro-optical and infrared sensor and a number of missile canister launchers with AMRAAM missiles. The fire units are typically netted together in a realtime communication network.
Currently 11 countries employ NASAMS and 15 others have acquired the command and control solution, according to Kongsberg.
India’s Ministry of Defence approved the acquisition of the NASAMS II in July 2018 to boost air defenses in New Delhi.
The acquisition forms part of the Delhi Area Defence Plan which aims to protect the capital against enemy aircraft, cruise missiles and drones, as well as hijacked airliners.
Last year Defense World reported that India’s plan for the defense system would include an outmost layer with two-tiered ballistic missile defense system developed by state-run DRDO, an inner layer comprised of the Russian-made S-400 system, and the NASAMS forming the innermost layer.
A NASAMS II battery consists of up to 12 missile launchers carrying six missiles each, networked with up to eight AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel X-band 3D radars, MSP 500 electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor systems and Fire Distribution Centers.
Raytheon’s FIM-92 Stinger missiles have been integrated on NASAMS protecting the U.S. capital since 2014, and were chosen by Finland that same year to replace the Russian-made SA-16/18 Igla missiles on its upgraded air defenses.