Washington: The United States government has granted Raytheon Co. a contract worth US$698.94 million to produce equipment for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) ordered by Taiwan. The production of “NASAMS fire units” is set to occur in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, with an expected completion date of February 28, 2031, as per a notice issued by the U.S. Department of War.

According to Focus Taiwan, the U.S. Department of State had approved the sale of three NASAMS to Taiwan last year, with the Defense Security Cooperation Agency informing Congress about the sale on October 25, 2024. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense previously stated that NASAMS has effectively enhanced air defense capabilities, citing its application in Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Russia. The systems are designed for active reconnaissance, fire distribution, and intelligence integration.

The ministry further noted that when NASAMS is integrated with the medium- and long-range air defense missiles currently in service with Taiwan’s military, it can establish a multi-layered air defense network, thus fortifying homeland security. The ministry’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 allocates approximately NT$35.7 billion (US$1.14 billion) for acquiring an unspecified number of NASAMS, along with related equipment and training. The spending plan is set to run from 2024 to 2030.