Three European countries expand F-35 arsenal with new joint order of US-made AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles
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According to information published by the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency on August 27, 2025, the U.S. State Department has approved a Foreign Military Sale to the NATO Support and Procurement Agency worth $103.9 million. Acting as procurement agent for Belgium, Italy, and Romania, NSPA has requested up to 96 AIM-9X Block II or Block II+ Sidewinder air-to-air missiles along with 12 guidance units. This package, which includes training, logistics, and documentation, represents another step in NATO’s collective effort to modernize its air combat arsenal and strengthen deterrence against regional aerial threats.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The AIM-9X Sidewinder is a short-range infrared air-to-air missile with thrust-vectoring control, high off-boresight targeting, and lock-on-after-launch capability, giving NATO F-35 pilots unmatched agility and precision in close-combat engagements (Picture source: U.S. DoD).
The AIM-9X is the latest evolution of the Sidewinder family, in service since the 1950s. Unlike its predecessors, the Block II incorporates advanced infrared seekers with imaging capability, thrust vector control for extreme agility, and lock-on-after-launch functionality that allows pilots to fire at targets beyond visual range using off-boresight helmet-mounted displays. The Block II+ adds improved data link connectivity, enabling the missile to receive mid-course updates from the launching aircraft or allied platforms. These features give NATO pilots the ability to counter adversaries using high-maneuverability aircraft and advanced countermeasure systems.
In terms of platforms, the AIM-9X is designed for integration across the majority of NATO’s fourth- and fifth-generation fighters. It is certified on the F-35 Lightning II, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-15 Eagle, F/A-18 Hornet, and Eurofighter Typhoon. Beyond fighters, it has also been tested on rotary-wing and unmanned aerial platforms for experimental roles, though its primary employment remains as a short-range air dominance missile. Its compact design allows easy compatibility with aircraft already in widespread NATO service, meaning that adoption requires limited modifications.
For NATO operations, the missile’s role is critical in close-in engagements where beyond-visual-range weapons such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM may be less effective. In air policing missions along the alliance’s eastern flank, the AIM-9X provides rapid response capability against incursions by hostile aircraft or drones. Its high off-boresight angle allows pilots to engage targets immediately upon detection without requiring extensive maneuvering, a decisive advantage during interception missions. On the tactical level, the Sidewinder remains the backbone of dogfighting capability, while operationally it reinforces NATO’s layered air defense concept by complementing long-range interceptors with a highly lethal short-range option.
Romania’s allocation of 64 missiles is especially important as the country transitions from legacy F-16 and MiG-21 fighters to the F-35. This provides its future fifth-generation fleet with a cutting-edge short-range weapon, ensuring readiness for high-intensity conflict scenarios. Italy and Belgium, both active F-35 operators, strengthen their operational inventories to support NATO quick-reaction alert and expeditionary deployments. For Belgium, with a relatively small fleet, even an allocation of 8 missiles boosts immediate deterrent capacity.
Beyond these three nations, several other NATO countries are likely to expand their inventories of AIM-9X in the near term. Poland, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom all operate or will soon field the F-35, making the Sidewinder a natural choice for commonality and interoperability. Poland in particular, with its growing fleet of F-35As, may seek to pair the AIM-9X with its expanding AMRAAM stocks to achieve full spectrum capability. Germany and Spain, both Eurofighter operators, may also consider additional procurement as they modernize their air-to-air arsenals.
The missile’s operational appeal lies in its ability to defeat modern Russian and Chinese short-range air combat systems. Against advanced aircraft like the Su-35 or J-20, or against swarming drone attacks, the AIM-9X provides NATO forces with a flexible, high-kill-probability option that reinforces both sovereignty defense missions and expeditionary operations. In contested environments where electronic warfare could limit radar missile effectiveness, the missile’s imaging infrared seeker ensures a resilient engagement solution.
By centralizing procurement through NSPA, NATO is not only cutting costs but also creating a unified inventory of weapons that can be shared, pooled, and deployed across multiple national air forces. This approach strengthens interoperability, reduces logistical complexity, and signals to adversaries that allied forces can operate seamlessly with common munitions. The approval of this sale confirms the AIM-9X’s role as a cornerstone of NATO’s short-range air combat doctrine and underlines how advanced munitions procurement directly contributes to collective deterrence and regional stability.
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According to information published by the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency on August 27, 2025, the U.S. State Department has approved a Foreign Military Sale to the NATO Support and Procurement Agency worth $103.9 million. Acting as procurement agent for Belgium, Italy, and Romania, NSPA has requested up to 96 AIM-9X Block II or Block II+ Sidewinder air-to-air missiles along with 12 guidance units. This package, which includes training, logistics, and documentation, represents another step in NATO’s collective effort to modernize its air combat arsenal and strengthen deterrence against regional aerial threats.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The AIM-9X Sidewinder is a short-range infrared air-to-air missile with thrust-vectoring control, high off-boresight targeting, and lock-on-after-launch capability, giving NATO F-35 pilots unmatched agility and precision in close-combat engagements (Picture source: U.S. DoD).
The AIM-9X is the latest evolution of the Sidewinder family, in service since the 1950s. Unlike its predecessors, the Block II incorporates advanced infrared seekers with imaging capability, thrust vector control for extreme agility, and lock-on-after-launch functionality that allows pilots to fire at targets beyond visual range using off-boresight helmet-mounted displays. The Block II+ adds improved data link connectivity, enabling the missile to receive mid-course updates from the launching aircraft or allied platforms. These features give NATO pilots the ability to counter adversaries using high-maneuverability aircraft and advanced countermeasure systems.
In terms of platforms, the AIM-9X is designed for integration across the majority of NATO’s fourth- and fifth-generation fighters. It is certified on the F-35 Lightning II, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-15 Eagle, F/A-18 Hornet, and Eurofighter Typhoon. Beyond fighters, it has also been tested on rotary-wing and unmanned aerial platforms for experimental roles, though its primary employment remains as a short-range air dominance missile. Its compact design allows easy compatibility with aircraft already in widespread NATO service, meaning that adoption requires limited modifications.
For NATO operations, the missile’s role is critical in close-in engagements where beyond-visual-range weapons such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM may be less effective. In air policing missions along the alliance’s eastern flank, the AIM-9X provides rapid response capability against incursions by hostile aircraft or drones. Its high off-boresight angle allows pilots to engage targets immediately upon detection without requiring extensive maneuvering, a decisive advantage during interception missions. On the tactical level, the Sidewinder remains the backbone of dogfighting capability, while operationally it reinforces NATO’s layered air defense concept by complementing long-range interceptors with a highly lethal short-range option.
Romania’s allocation of 64 missiles is especially important as the country transitions from legacy F-16 and MiG-21 fighters to the F-35. This provides its future fifth-generation fleet with a cutting-edge short-range weapon, ensuring readiness for high-intensity conflict scenarios. Italy and Belgium, both active F-35 operators, strengthen their operational inventories to support NATO quick-reaction alert and expeditionary deployments. For Belgium, with a relatively small fleet, even an allocation of 8 missiles boosts immediate deterrent capacity.
Beyond these three nations, several other NATO countries are likely to expand their inventories of AIM-9X in the near term. Poland, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom all operate or will soon field the F-35, making the Sidewinder a natural choice for commonality and interoperability. Poland in particular, with its growing fleet of F-35As, may seek to pair the AIM-9X with its expanding AMRAAM stocks to achieve full spectrum capability. Germany and Spain, both Eurofighter operators, may also consider additional procurement as they modernize their air-to-air arsenals.
The missile’s operational appeal lies in its ability to defeat modern Russian and Chinese short-range air combat systems. Against advanced aircraft like the Su-35 or J-20, or against swarming drone attacks, the AIM-9X provides NATO forces with a flexible, high-kill-probability option that reinforces both sovereignty defense missions and expeditionary operations. In contested environments where electronic warfare could limit radar missile effectiveness, the missile’s imaging infrared seeker ensures a resilient engagement solution.
By centralizing procurement through NSPA, NATO is not only cutting costs but also creating a unified inventory of weapons that can be shared, pooled, and deployed across multiple national air forces. This approach strengthens interoperability, reduces logistical complexity, and signals to adversaries that allied forces can operate seamlessly with common munitions. The approval of this sale confirms the AIM-9X’s role as a cornerstone of NATO’s short-range air combat doctrine and underlines how advanced munitions procurement directly contributes to collective deterrence and regional stability.
