Transferring systems from the Middle East to Ukraine will take less time than their production in the USA.

The United States of America and allies are working with countries in the Middle East to transfer several NASAMS anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine.

As the general director of the NASAMS systems manufacturer – Raytheon Technologies – Greg Hayes told in an interview with Politico, they intend to deliver the complexes within the next 3-6 months. At the same time, within 24 months, the United States must replenish the reserves in the Middle East with new installations.

“There are NASAMS deployed in the Middle East, and some of our NATO allies and we are actually working with several countries in the Middle East that are currently using NASAMS and trying to get them into Ukraine,” Hayes explained.

According to him, transferring systems from the Middle East to Ukraine will take less time than their production in the USA. He added that the creation of NASAMS has been going on for about 2 years. This is due to the need to purchase electronic components and rocket engines.

At the same time, the agreement on the transfer of these systems to Ukraine must be approved by the administration of US President Joe Biden.

Hayes did not name the countries with which there is a conversation about the transfer of NASAMS air defense to Ukraine. However, according to the Agency for Security and Defense Cooperation, the buyers of these systems in the region are Oman and Qatar.

NASAMS systems in Ukraine

Yuriy Ignat, the spokesman of the Air Force Command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said that NASAMS anti-aircraft missile systems, which have strengthened the Ukrainian air defense system, shoot down 100% of cruise missiles. He added that the Air Force already has two such complexes.

Military expert Oleg Zhdanov believes that two NASAMS or IRIS-T anti-aircraft missile systems are needed to cover the skies of Kyiv or Kharkiv.