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The Netherlands will acquire 120 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Extended Range (JASSM-ER) in a US$908 million foreign military sale approved by the US State Department.
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The US Congress was notified of the possible sale by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on 5 February.
Under the proposed deal, the government of the Netherlands has requested 120 AGM-158B/B-2 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles with Extended Range, 15 AGM-158 inert JASSMs with test instrumentation kits, two AGM-158 JASSM separation test vehicles, one AGM-158 instrumented test vehicle, two JASSM jettison test vehicles and AGM-158 JASSM dummy air training missiles.
The sale also includes KGV-135A encryption devices, test and integration equipment, spare parts, repair and return support, classified and unclassified publications, technical and logistics support services.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a NATO ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe,” according to a statement published by the DSCA.
“The proposed sale will improve the Netherlands’ capability to meet current and future threats by increasing its airborne, long-range, precision-strike combat capability.
“The Netherlands will use these systems to defend NATO allies and deter aggression. The Netherlands will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces.
“The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.”
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control will be the principal contractor, and implementation of the proposed sale would not require the assignment of any additional US government or contractor representatives to the Netherlands.
Earlier this week, the US State Department announced that the government of the Netherlands had requested to buy up to 386 AGM-114R2Hellfire air-to-ground missiles under a possible US$150 million foreign military sale.
The US Congress was notified of that proposed sale by the DSCA on 2 February, this year.
Under the deal, the country would receive missiles, publications and other Hellfire publications, US Army Aviation and Missile Command Security Assistance Management Directorate technical assistance, Tactical Aviation and Ground Munitions Project Office technical assistance and integration support.
The principal contractor for that sale would be Lockheed Martin Corporation and will require US government or contractor representatives to travel to the Netherlands for program management reviews to support the program.
Late last year in October 2023, the Netherlands government announced that three General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles would be stationed in Romania to fortify the defence of NATO’s eastern flank.
The unarmed drone aircraft will be used to gather intelligence along the eastern border of the North Atlanta Treaty Organization’s territory, according to information submitted to the Dutch House of Representatives by the Netherlands’ Minister of Defence, Kajsa Ollongren, on 11 October.
