US approves latest Sidewinder missiles for NATO
A US Air Force F-35A seen carrying an AIM-9X missile on its external outboard pylon during trials. The NSPA has been approved to buy 96 missiles on behalf of NATO members Belgium, Italy, and Romania. (US Air Force)
The United States government has approved the sale of the latest RTX AIM-9X Block II/II+ Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles to the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) for an estimated USD103.9 million.
Announced by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on 27 August, the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) approval covers up to 96 missiles on behalf of NATO members Belgium, Italy, and Romania, as well as training equipment, spares, and support.
“The proposed sale will improve NATO's capability to meet current and future threats by utilising air-to-air missiles and guidance units for its [Lockheed Martin] F-35 [Lightning II] fleets in support of NATO's defence mission. NATO will have no difficulty absorbing these weapons into its armed forces,” the DSCA said.
Compared with the Block I missile, the Block II (also known as AIM-9X-2) features a redesigned fuze, as well as new onboard processors, a rocket motor battery, an ignition safety device, and a datalink. According to Janes Weapons: Air-Launched , the DSU-37/B (modified DSU-15B/B) laser proximity fuze is replaced with a more modern system (the DSU-41 Advanced Optical Detector System), making more space available inside the missile body for additional capabilities to be incorporated.
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