The NASAMS air defense system is operating with an outstanding 94 percent efficiency rate in Ukraine, said Colonel Per Steinar Trøite, head of the Norwegian Air Force’s support department in Ukraine. The system has destroyed more than 900 Russian missiles and drones by the beginning of 2025.
In an interview with the daily Aftenposten, the Norwegian colonel detailed that more than 60 percent of the intercepted targets were drones, which are particularly difficult to defend against. He added that this high efficiency rate and the large number of threats destroyed clearly demonstrate the precision and reliability of the NASAMS system in repelling Russian missile and drone attacks.
More precise figures were also revealed: According to Colonel Trøite, NASAMS played a decisive role in intercepting more than 900 aerial threats, including more than 500 cruise missiles, with a total efficiency of 94 percent.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, several Western countries have supplied NASAMS systems to bolster Ukrainian defenses. Norway was the first to provide the system, followed by the United States.
By early 2025, Ukraine had at least three NASAMS batteries, each consisting of multiple launchers and radar systems.
NASAMS is a state-of-the-art air defense system that combines advanced technologies to provide comprehensive protection against a wide range of air threats. The heart of the system is the AIM-120 AMRAAM missile, which has been modified for surface-to-air launch. The AN/MPQ-64F1 Sentinel radar can detect and track targets at ranges of up to 120 kilometers.
One of the system’s greatest advantages is considered to be its ability to respond quickly to various threats and to work seamlessly with other air defense systems. NASAMS’ modular design allows for flexible deployment, whether fixed or mobile units.
