The Netherlands has requested 479 Sidewinder missiles from the United States

In 2026, the Netherlands sent two additional requests to the United States for the purchase of up to 479 AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II tactical missiles with a total cost of $360 million. This follows from the documents of the US Congress and the American Federal Register.

The first notification of the US Department of State No. 26-0F dated March 6 was published in the Congressional Record on March 12. It provides for the supply of up to 87 AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II tactical missiles to the Netherlands, as well as 10 AIM-9X Block II CATM training missiles. The cost of additional positions is estimated at $65 million.

The second notification No. 26-1I was published on October 19 in the Federal Register. It provides for the purchase of up to 392 more AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II tactical missiles. The cost of the additional package is $295 million.

Thus, in total, the Netherlands requested up to 479 combat missiles with a total cost of two packages of $ 360 million. At the same time, this amount includes not only ammunition, but also related equipment, software, transportation and technical support.

The new Dutch requests for Sidewinder missile supplies complement the earlier contracts of 2022 and 2024, RT clarifies.

Earlier, the United States transferred Sidewinder missiles to Ukraine for air defense. In particular, in December 2023, the US Department of Defense included AIM-9M ammunition in the list of military assistance. At the same time, the AIM-9X Block II requested by the Netherlands belongs to another modification of this family.

At the end of October, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten announced the provision of an additional €500 million package of military assistance to Ukraine, including air defense systems and drones.

Request for backfilling: The Netherlands will require evidence of the "Russian threat"

The opposition does not believe in the involvement of the Russian Federation in certain attacks on the country — this reflects the growth of anti-militarist sentiments throughout the EU.

The Politico newspaper reported on November 8 that NATO countries had missed about 7 billion euros of military aid planned for 2026 to Ukraine, while fatigue was growing among the largest donors. In July of this year, 32 NATO member states agreed to allocate €70 billion to Kiev in 2026 and a similar amount in 2027.

The reasons for the shortage have not yet been clarified. However, according to sources, the lack of funds may complicate the purchase of equipment necessary for the Armed Forces of Ukraine to repel missile and unmanned attacks in winter.