Australia declares its new air defense missile system combat ready

Australia’s Army has declared Final Operational Capability for its National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System, confirming the ground-based air defense system is ready to support Australian Defence Force operations. Defence announced the milestone on September 9, 2026.

NASAMS is built to detect, track and destroy cruise missiles, aircraft, helicopters and drones. The system was delivered under the Short Range Ground Based Air Defense project, known as SRGBAD, part of a broader air and missile defense setup that also draws on ships and fighter aircraft to protect ADF personnel and infrastructure.

Soldiers from Adelaide’s 16th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, are the first operational unit to field the system. The regiment, based at Woodside in South Australia, ran live-fire trials and qualification training as part of the phased rollout that led to this week’s declaration.

“The achievement of Final Operational Capability for NASAMS marks a significant milestone in strengthening Australia’s integrated air and missile defence capability,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles. “NASAMS provides Army with a modern, highly capable air defence system that enhances our ability to protect Australian Defence Force personnel, critical assets and infrastructure from a range of airborne threats.”

Raytheon Australia is the prime contractor on SRGBAD, running under the Army’s long-standing LAND 19 Phase 7B program. NASAMS itself was co-developed by Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, and Kongsberg Defence Australia built the system’s Fire Distribution Centres locally before handing final units to Raytheon Australia last year. The SRGBAD program is valued at roughly A$2.5 billion.

The Australian version pairs the Norwegian NASAMS design with locally built CEA Technologies radar, the CEATAC and CEAOPS active electronically scanned array systems, mounted alongside launchers on Hawkei protected mobility vehicles. Raytheon’s AN/AAS-52 Multispectral Targeting System adds day and night optical tracking. The setup replaces the Army’s older RBS-70 man-portable air defense missiles.

“The achievement of Final Operational Capability delivers a world-leading capability for Defence and provides a major boost to Australia’s integrated air and missile defence,” said Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy. “Australian-designed radar technology is a key part of this capability, highlighting the important contribution local industry makes to Australia’s national security.”

NASAMS is in service with, or on order for, more than a dozen countries. Ukraine has used the system in combat against Russian cruise missiles and drones since 2022, giving the design an operational record beyond Australia’s own trials. Defence has not disclosed how many NASAMS batteries or launchers 16th Regiment will ultimately operate; the regiment is expected to field two batteries once full capability is reached.

Each NASAMS troop is built around a Fire Distribution Centre, a CEATAC radar, an optronic sensor vehicle and several launchers, with the Hawkei launchers and canisters carried on MAN/Rheinmetall HX77 trucks. The missile load is a mix of AIM-120 AMRAAM and Sidewinder missiles, the same interceptors used on Australian and allied fighter jets.

Sustainment of the system will run primarily through Australian-based support contracts already in place with CEA Technologies and Raytheon Australia.

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