Netherlands, Lithuania cleared for USA missile buys

The missile deals will help bolster European defences.

The US government has cleared the Netherlands to obtain Lockheed Martin AGM-114R2 Hellfire air-to-ground missiles, and Lithuania Raytheon AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder missiles.

The two potential arms sales were posted by the Department of State as part of the US government’s Foreign Military Sales activity.

The potential Netherlands sale is valued at $200 million and covers 530 AGM-114R2s as well as related services and support.

“The proposed sale will modernise the Netherlands’ armed forces, expand its capability to strengthen homeland defence, and deter regional threats,” says the Department of State.

“This enhanced capability will contribute to the Netherlands’ military goals of updating capability while further enhancing interoperability with the United States and other allies. The Netherlands will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces.”

The Netherlands operates two platforms that can employ the Hellfire: the Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopter, and the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9 Reaper.

In June 2025, the US government had also cleared the Netherlands to obtain 296 Joint Air-to-Ground Missiles, a Lockheed-produced weapon that can also be employed by the Apache.

The possible Lithuanian Sidewinder sale is valued at $214 million and covers 152 AIM-9X Block IIs, as well as a broad range of related equipment, training, and services.

Vilnius, which lacks fixed-wing fighter aircraft, is likely to employ the weapon in its National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, or NASAMS, which was jointly developed by Kongsberg and Raytheon.