WASHINGTON, July 9 (Reuters) - NATO has placed an order

for Stinger anti-aircraft missiles worth almost $700 million in

the name of several member states, the alliance's

Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday.

"Just today, the (NATO procurement agency) NSPA signed a new

multinational contract for Stinger missiles worth almost 700

million dollars," he told a gathering of defence industry

leaders on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington.

The last contract for Stinger missiles, made by RTX's

Raytheon division, was awarded in May 2022 when the U.S.

Army contracted for $625 million worth of the anti-aircraft

missiles in order to replenish stocks sent to Ukraine.

The shoulder-fired Stinger missiles have been in hot demand

in Ukraine, where they have successfully stopped Russian

assaults from the air, and in neighbouring European countries

which fear they may also need to beat back Russian forces.