On April 22, Washington gave approval for a possible Foreign Military Sale of AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II missiles requested by Lithuania, which it regards as a key ally for the security of the Baltic region, to meet the threat from Russia.
According to the U.S. Department of State’s statement, the approved Foreign Military Sale package, with an estimated cost of $214 million, covers 152 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder tactical missiles, 8 tactical guidance units, and 6 captive air training missiles, among other equipment. It will be added to a previously implemented case valued at $19.5 million ($10.5 million in Major Defense Equipment), which was below the congressional notification threshold. However, this announcement is not a final deal; it remains subject to change as a result of negotiations between Vilnius and relevant defense contractors.
“This
proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the
United States by helping to improve the security of a NATO Ally that is an
important force for ensuring peace and stability in Europe,” the U.S.
State Department said in a statement. “Lithuania will have no difficulty
absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces.”
The AIM-9X
Block II, developed by Raytheon, is the most advanced short-range air-to-air
missile in the U.S. inventory, configured for installation on a wide range of
modern aircraft but also capable of surface-launch missions through its
compatibility with NASAMS, which requires no dedicated variant or major
modifications to existing missiles.
AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder (AIM-9X Blk II) / (US DoD)
Lithuania,
with the service branch having no actively utilized fighter jets and relying on
NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission to ensure the integrity, safety and security
of its airspace, will integrate these missiles with the National Advanced
Surface-to-Air Missile System’s air defense batteries.
The Baltic nation’s medium-range air defense runs on four NASAMS batteries, ordered across three separate contracts. The first two, ordered in 2017, have been operational since 2020. A third batch, ordered in 2023, began arriving in April 2026. The fourth is under a 2024 contract, due in 2028. Lithuania ordered the two launchers sent to Ukraine separately. Its own stocks were never touched.
The NASAMS systems delivered to the Lithuanian Armed Forces in June 2020 / Lithuanian Ministry of Defense
“Sidewinder missiles will complement Lithuania’s developing multi-layered air defence architecture and strengthen the capabilities of Lithuania and the entire NATO Alliance to counter airspace threats. This once again confirms the strong US commitment to European security,” said Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas.
The AIM-9X
Sidewinder Block II purchase for NASAMS, the most widely used mid-range air
defense system across NATO and one Ukraine has fielded to great effect, is one
step in a broader effort to strengthen Lithuanian air defenses. Lessons learned
in Ukraine clearly show the importance of effective air defense, and Vilnius
has been expanding its air defense inventory for years. These include
AIM-120C-8 AMRAAMs, Grom MANPADs from Poland, Lockheed Martin AN/TPS-77 radars,
Thales GM200 MM/C radars, RBS 70 NG and IRIS-T SLM from Germany, part of it
funded through U.S. aid to meet NATO commitments. With the Baltic nation having
pledged to allocate between five and six percent of GDP to defense from 2026 through
2030, further investment in military modernization is unlikely to slow.