Last month, Raytheon undertook the first firing of an AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II missile from a national advanced surface-to-air missile system (NASAMS) launcher. The missile hit its target in a trial undertaken at the Royal Norwegian Air Force’s Andoya test center.

NASAMS comprises a Raytheon Sentinel radar with a fire distribution center and launchers made by Kongsberg. The baseline interceptor is the AIM-120 AMRAAM medium-range, active radar missile normally employed in air-launched applications. The addition of the imaging infrared-guided AIM-9X expands the ability of the NASAMS system to add a short-range layer to ground-based air defense. AIM-9X is the standard short-range air-to-air missile for U.S. and allied air arms, and can be fired from the NASAMS without modification.

NASAMS has been sold to nine countries, and is fielded by seven. The U.S. employs it for the defense of the National Capital Region.