During the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum, RTX announced the launch of a series of feasibility studies aimed at expanding global production capacity of the AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missile by incorporating new industrial suppliers in Europe. The initiative, developed jointly with the United States government and several allied nations, seeks to increase manufacturing capacity, accelerate deliveries, and strengthen supply chain resilience in response to rising demand.
Unlike the recent program to expand Stinger missile production, which already includes component manufacturing and final assembly in Europe, the AMRAAM project is at a preliminary stage. The studies will determine which priority components can be produced by European companies and which suppliers meet the technical requirements to integrate into the missile’s industrial chain.
Stinger missile production expands in Europe to meet growing allied demand
According to RTX, the work will be funded by participating countries and will allow production capacity to be expanded for both US forces and European allies.
“Expanding AMRAAM production capacity is essential to meet the urgent air defense needs of the United States and our allies,” said Michael P. Duffey, Under Secretary of the US Army for Acquisition and Sustainment. The official stated that this type of industrial cooperation strengthens burden-sharing within NATO and delivers capabilities at the pace required by the current security environment.
According to documents obtained by Politico, the letter of intent will initially be signed by Belgium, Canada, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway, while another allied nation could join at a later stage. The agreement does not yet constitute a production contract, but rather the formal start of studies that will assess the feasibility of establishing industrial capabilities for the AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM in Europe.
In this process, Belgium emerges as one of the main drivers of the initiative and is considered by various specialized media as the most likely candidate to host a future AMRAAM co-production capability, although RTX has not confirmed any location and no official decision has been made.
Air defense systems such as Norway’s NASAMS also use the AMRAAM as munition.
Beyond the missile itself, the initiative is part of a broader industrial strategy promoted during the NATO Summit. The package of agreements also includes the expansion of European Stinger missile production, the establishment of a maintenance center for PAC-3 interceptors of the Patriot system, and new cooperation projects related to the ATACMS tactical missile. Taken together, these initiatives reflect a shift in how armament production is organized within the Alliance.
The strategy appears aimed at expanding NATO’s joint industrial capacity through a distributed manufacturing network on both sides of the Atlantic. The goal would be to increase the production rate of systems already fully integrated into the Alliance, accelerate the replenishment of arsenals, and generate sufficient industrial capacity to sustain high-intensity operations over extended periods. At the same time, this additional capacity could be used to meet both European demand and reinforce US inventories for other strategic scenarios, such as a potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific.