Pentagon orders major AMRAAM missile shipment for Ukraine and allies
Photo: The Pentagon has ordered a large batch of AMRAAM missiles for Ukraine (wikimedia.org)
The US Department of Defense has signed a $3.5 billion contract with Raytheon Technologies for the production of AMRAAM missiles and related equipment, which will be transferred to Ukraine and allied countries.
According to an official statement on the defense ministry's website, the agreement includes deliveries to Ukraine and 18 other countries: Denmark, Belgium, Japan, the Netherlands, Canada, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Spain, Poland, Sweden, Taiwan, Lithuania, the United Kingdom, Australia, Switzerland, Israel, and Kuwait.
The contract provides for the production of missiles, telemetry systems, spare parts, and engineering support. The work will be carried out in Tucson, Arizona, until the third quarter of fiscal year 2031.
AMRAAM
AMRAAM air-to-air missiles are the main weapon of the F-15, F-16, F/A-18, and F-22 fighter jets. The cost of one missile varies from $1.2 million to $1.97 million, depending on the modification.
In addition, one of the modifications of these missiles is used by NASAMS air defense systems. In this case, AMRAAM missiles are capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 20-25 km, and in the case of AMRAAM ER (Extended Range) missiles, at a range of up to 40 km.
Furthermore, the system can attack airborne targets at a distance of over 100 km, with a probability of hitting the target reaching 85%.
