Ukraine’s NASAMS air defense systems destroy 900 Russian aerial targets with 94% success rate
Norway's advanced air defense technology proves decisive in Ukraine's ongoing battle for air superiority, with most interceptions targeting Russia's precision cruise missiles. Colonel Per Steinar Troøyte confirmed the system has maintained an exceptional 94% effectiveness rate since deployments began in November 2022.
Ukraine’s Air Force have destroyed approximately 900 aerial targets with NASAMS air defense systems, Aftenposten reports, citing Norwegian military officials.
NASAMS is a Norwegian-American medium-range air defense system developed by Raytheon Technologies and Norway’s Kongsberg Group. The system consists of launchers and Raytheon AN/MPQ-64F1 Sentinel radars. Open sources indicate that Ukraine operates around 12 NASAMS batteries. It is capable of destroying aerial targets including UAVs, ballistic missiles, helicopters, aircraft, and cruise missiles at medium and low altitudes in any weather conditions.
Colonel Per Steinar Troøyte, head of Norway’s Air Force support group for Ukraine, stated that NASAMS has achieved an effectiveness rate of 94%. Nearly 60% of the intercepted targets with the system have been Russian cruise missiles.
The NASAMS was first publicly discussed for transfer to Ukraine in June 2022, with initial systems delivered in November 2022. Ukrainian air defense forces have regularly received new NASAMS batteries from partners since then. In November 2024, the first NASAMS air defense system ordered by Canada for Ukraine was dispatched.
It is not specified which missiles were used for the interceptions, but they could include AIM-120 AMRAAM, AMRAAM-ER, and AIM-9X Sidewinder, according to Militarnyi.
NASAMS II has a range of up to 25 km and an altitude ceiling of 14–15 km, while the latest NASAMS III version can engage targets at distances of up to 40 km.
The system uses short- and medium-range air-to-air missiles, including the AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM. The AIM-120 is one of the most widely used air-to-air missiles globally, with production numbers exceeding those of any other missile in its class—an important factor given the high consumption rates in active combat.
Earlier, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry reported that Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced expanded cooperation with Norwegian defense company Kongsberg, the developer and supplier of NASAMS mobile air defense systems to Ukraine.
Ukraine expands cooperation with Norway’s NASAMS air defense manufacturer
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