Norway to join development of new NASAMS air defence radar

Norway has officially joined U.S. defence giant Raytheon and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace to co-develop the new GhostEye radar for the NASAMS air defence system.

This marks the first joint project under the trilateral agreement signed in 2023 for collaborative work on the NASAMS platform, Caliber.Az reports, citing a Ukrainian defence portal.

While the development of the GhostEye radar was first reported in October 2024, the new initiative builds upon Raytheon’s work on the LTAMDS radar, originally designed for the Patriot system. This integration is expected to enhance NASAMS capabilities significantly.

The GhostEye radar promises extended range, improved resolution and sensitivity, and the ability to track more targets than its predecessor, the AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel. This leap in performance is attributed to the use of an active electronically scanned array (AESA) instead of a passive radar system, analysts note.

Raytheon also emphasised the increased mobility of the radar, which enables quicker deployment—a critical feature for a medium-range air defence system designed to balance flexibility and interception capabilities.

Norway’s Ministry of Defence highlighted NASAMS’ effectiveness in defending Ukrainian airspace against Russian attacks, citing it as a proven asset on the modern battlefield.

While Raytheon will lead the GhostEye development, Kongsberg will be responsible for two key subsystems. However, no further technical details have been released, and discussions on potential deliveries to Ukraine remain premature as the project is still in its early development stage.

By Khagan Isayev