A national advanced surface to air missile system launcher. Credit: Soldatnytt from Oslo, Norway.

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has notified Congress of a possible foreign military sale of advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles (AMRAAMs) with related equipment and support to Qatar.

With an estimated cost of $215m, the possible sale has been requested in support of a direct commercial sale of the national advanced surface-to-air missile system (NASAMS).

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Under the potential deal, Qatar will acquire 40 AIM 120C-7 AMRAAMs, one spare AIM 120C-7 AMRAAM guidance section, one spare AIM-120C-7 control section, and eight AMRAAM captive air training missiles CATM-120C.

Approved by the US State Department, the sale would include the possible delivery of missile containers, classified software for the AN/MPQ-64F1 sentinel radar, cryptographic and communication security devices, precision navigation equipment, site surveys, weapons system equipment, and computer software support.

Furthermore, the potential sale also covers the provision of US Government contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services, and other associated elements of programme support.

“NASAMS is a medium-range, network-centric air defence system that can be deployed to identify and engage enemy aircraft, and to protect high-value assets and mass population centres.”

Focused on supporting and improving the US foreign policy and national security objectives, the proposed sale will help enhance Qatar’s homeland defence and capability to deter regional threats.

Delivery of the NASAMS capability is expected to provide the country with a complete range of protection from imminent hostile cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as well as rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft threats.

Raytheon Missiles Systems will serve as the principal contractor and integrator for the potential deal.

Jointly designed and developed by Raytheon and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, NASAMS is a medium-range, network-centric air defence system that can be deployed to identify and engage enemy aircraft, and to protect high-value assets and mass population centres against air-to-surface threats.

In November, the Government of Japan requested the sale of 32 units of the AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM weapon systems from the US for an estimated cost of $63m.