Netherlands mulls local production of Raytheon’s Amraam missile

PARIS — Raytheon will explore the possibility of manufacturing its AIM-120 advanced medium-range, air-to-air missile in the Netherlands, after the United States gave the green light for a feasibility study, the Dutch Ministry of Defence said.

The study next year will investigate how Dutch industry can contribute to production, assembly and maintenance of the AIM-120 Amraam, the Netherlands MoD said in a statement late Monday.

The bilateral cooperation is the first step towards joint production of the AIM-120 with a European NATO partner, the Netherlands said. That would deepen trans-Atlantic defense-industrial cooperation, as well as tackle production shortages, according to the MoD.

“Scaling up production is important to continue support to Ukraine and for the defense of the NATO treaty area,” the MoD said. “This way, Defence hopes to contribute to production and accelerated delivery of Amraams with the U.S. and other NATO countries.”

A proactive international approach to joint production fits in the Dutch defense strategy for industry and innovation, the MoD said. Raytheon and the Dutch MoD didn’t immediately respond to emailed questions about the planned study, or the possibilities for joint manufacturing.

The Royal Netherlands Air Force is already a user of Raytheon’s Amraam missile, with the radar-guided beyond-visual-range missile equipping the country’s F-35 fighter jets. The Amraam missile also arms Kongsberg’s NASAMS ground-based medium-range air-defense system, which the Dutch have said they are buying.

The Netherlands doesn’t currently manufacture tactical missiles, though the country has several companies with advanced aerospace and defense capabilities that might supply components or engineering, including GKN Aerospace and Thales Nederland.

Belgium is also an F-35 user, and plans to buy NASAMS systems. The country’s defense industry was negotiating with Raytheon parent RTX to manufacture Amraam missiles, local broadcaster VRT reported in July, without saying where it got the information. Belgian arms manufacturer FN Herstal said there was no agreement yet with RTX, according to VRT.

The U.S. State Department in September approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Netherlands of as many as 232 AIM-120C-8 missiles for an estimated cost of $570 million. Poland and Germany also received FMS approval this year to buy Amraam missiles.

The AIM-120 missile was reportedly used in September to down Russian drones that flew into Poland. Dutch F-35s participated in intercepting the intruders, while Poland also has the missile in its inventory.

Raytheon has a joint venture with pan-European missile maker MBDA to manufacture munitions for the Patriot ground-based air-defense system in Germany, and in August signed a memorandum of understanding with Diehl Defence to co-produce parts of the Stinger short-range air-defense missile in Europe.

The American defense company has been touting its European ties as the European Union pushes for member states to spend more of their defense procurement in the 27-nation bloc.