US Approves Possible $4.67B Sale of NASAMS Air Defense Systems to Egypt

The U.S. State Department has approved a potential sale of NASAMS air defense systems and missiles to Egypt, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said on July 24.

The proposed deal, valued at an estimated $4.67 billion, includes four NASAMS systems along with associated missiles, radars, logistics, and software support.

According to the DSCA, the package would include:

• Four AN/MPQ-64F1 Sentinel radar systems with related auxiliary equipment
• 100 AMRAAM-ER missiles designed for ground-based air defense
• 100 AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles
• 600 AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II air-to-air missiles
• 150 AIM-9X Sidewinder training missiles
• Other associated equipment

All of the missiles listed are compatible with NASAMS and can be used to intercept a variety of aerial threats.

NASAMS, a medium-range surface-to-air missile system developed by Norway’s Kongsberg Gruppen and the U.S.-based RTX Corporation (formerly Raytheon Technologies Corporation), features mobile launchers, each capable of holding six missile canisters.

At the same time, Egypt is also seeking to acquire the Chinese-made HQ-9B long-range air defense system.