Ukraine might purchase the NSM coastal defense system
28 June, 2023 Polish missile system with NSM missiles Photo credits: Ministry of Defense of Poland Ukraine is negotiating the purchase of the NSM coastal defense system elements from Poland. The Polish defense media Defence24 reported this with reference to its own sources.
As the Polish publication unofficially learned, the governments of the countries are negotiating the supply of the coastal defense system elements. Ukraine is considering the possibility of purchasing a battery of a Polish missile system, or even an entire division. The purchase is expected to be made with the own funds or with financing from the EU military aid fund.
The Polish army has two full battalions of coastal defense systems. Each of them consists of two batteries of three launchers with four missiles each. In addition, the system includes battery and division command vehicles, mobile communication centers, PIT-RADWAR target detection and tracking radars, and logistics vehicles.
Vehicles of the missile system of the Polish Navy in Poland.
Photo credits: Maria Tokke/Kaitsevae Peastaap
The value of the potential deal is unknown, but in 2014, the Polish government ordered the second division of the coastal defense systems for PLN 800 million (about £200 million). The missile system and its ammunition were handed over to the Polish Navy in 2017.
Naval Strike Missile
The Naval Strike Missile (NSM) is an anti-ship medium-range missile developed and designed by the Norwegian company Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace. The NSM is a subsonic anti-ship missile capable of hitting surface and ground targets.
The missile, being 4 m in length and weighing over 400 kg, is equipped with a modern target recognition system. The weight of the combined warhead is 120 kg.
Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile (NSM) anti-ship missile. Photo credits: Kongsberg
Control of the marching part of the flight is carried out using an inertial system with the correction of GPS system signals.
The missile is equipped with an infrared homing head that has its own target database. Due to it, missiles are able to recognize specific types of targets and choose the right one. The missile is equipped with a TRI-40 turbojet engine and a solid rocket booster.
The maximum launch range exceeds 185 km.
The Polish self-propelled launcher, the command post, and other vehicles of the system are mounted on the chassis of the three-axle Polish Jelcz 8x8 truck.