Reint Jelger: Is it really true that those as in the image a produced by Kongsberg Gruppen ASA Norway, do the air defense launchers come with the wheeled underneath?

Google Gemini: Yes, absolutely. The air defense system shown in the image is a NASAMS Multi-Missile Launcher, which is indeed designed and manufactured by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace in Norway (co-developed with RTX/Raytheon in the United States).

Regarding the wheels underneath:

• Trailer-Mounted Configuration: The launcher unit depicted in the image is built onto a heavy-duty, towable wheeled trailer chassis. This allows the entire launcher to be hooked up to a military truck and towed across varied terrain.
• Deployment and Stabilization: When the launcher is set up at a firing position, mechanical or hydraulic stabilization jacks (the vertical legs visible dropping down to the ground in the photo) are lowered to lift the weight off the tires, level the platform, and keep it completely steady during missile ignition.
• Alternative Mountings: While trailer-mounted configurations are common, NASAMS is modular. Depending on the specific military customer and version, launchers can also be mounted directly onto the flatbeds of heavy tactical trucks (such as Sisu 8×8 trucks or Mercedes-Benz Unimogs) for high-mobility maneuver warfare.

So maybe you can tell how much those wheeled air defence missile shooters cost to acquire, but I just wonder who provides the AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles for instance, is that Kongsberg Gruppen ASA Norway too?

Who Provides the AIM-9X Sidewinder Missiles?

No, Kongsberg does not produce the AIM-9X Sidewinder.

The AIM-9X Sidewinder (along with the AIM-120 AMRAAM) is manufactured by the American defense giant RTX (formerly Raytheon).

The partnership works through a joint, modular division of labor:

• Kongsberg Gruppen ASA (Norway): Builds the command-and-control software, the Fire Distribution Center (FDC), and the modular launcher platforms (including the trailer/wheeled chassis and firing electronics).
• RTX / Raytheon (USA): Supplies the radar units (MPQ-64 Sentinel) and the actual missile interceptors like the AIM-9X Sidewinder or AIM-120 AMRAAM.

Because NASAMS is designed to use standard NATO fighter jet munitions, buyer nations purchase or draw missile inventory directly from Raytheon/U.S. government foreign military sales, while acquiring the launch infrastructure and software integration from Kongsberg.

How Much Do the Launchers and Systems Cost?

In military defense procurement, costs are split between the launch system infrastructure and the missiles themselves:

1. System Infrastructure (Batteries & Launchers)

• A Single Launcher Unit: A standalone 6-canister towed launcher unit (like the one pictured) typically costs between $2.5 million to $4 million depending on configuration, power units, and vehicle mounts.
• A Complete Battery / Platoon: Governments rarely purchase single launchers. A full NASAMS battery—which typically includes 9 to 12 launchers, command-and-control vehicles, radar units, and support gear—generally costs between $100 million and $300 million+ (e.g., a recent procurement contract for a complete system setup can easily reach hundreds of millions of Euros/USD depending on exact radar and C2 inclusions).

2. Missile Interceptor Costs (Per Shot)

Because missiles are consumable items, each missile loaded into the launcher has its own steep price tag:

• AIM-9X Sidewinder: Roughly $1.1 million to $1.2 million per missile.
• AIM-120 AMRAAM: Roughly $1.0 million to $1.8 million per missile depending on the variant (e.g., AMRAAM-ER).

A fully loaded 6-canister NASAMS launcher sitting on the field represents around $3 million in launcher hardware, carrying upwards of $7 million to $10 million worth of missiles inside its tubes.