U.S. orders Joint Strike Missile from Norway

2 June, 2024 The mock-up of the JSM anti-ship missile is installed on the F-35A fighter. Photo credits: Kongsberg Norwegian anti-ship missile manufacturer Kongsberg has received an order from the US Department of Defense.

This is reported by the official website of the US Department of Defense. The contract signed between the parties should ensure the start of production of JSM (Joint Strike Missile) air-launched anti-ship missiles for the US Air Force, which will be used by F-35 fighter jets. The contract, estimated at about 141 million US dollars, will ensure the production and delivery of the first batch of JSM missiles to the United States.

The JSM anti-ship missile is installed in the internal compartment of the F-35A fighter jet.

Photo credits: Kongsberg

In addition to the missiles themselves, the United States will receive a material and technical package, appropriate equipment for testing and configuring the missiles, as well as special containers for their transportation. The contract will be fully executed by Kongsberg's Norwegian subsidiary in the city of Kongsberg. The contract is scheduled to be completed by August 31, 2026.

The missiles will be used at Eglin US Air Force Base, Florida. The JSM anti-ship missile was developed by the Norwegian company Kongsberg as part of the JSF program. At that time, the missile was chosen as the main anti-ship weapon for F-35A/B/C fighter jets, as well as a complement to LRASM missiles for F/A-18 Super Hornet deck-based fighters.

Like the shipboard version of the missile under the NSM index, the JSM has the ability to be used against both surface and ground targets, making it a versatile weapon. The missile's maximum range is 555 km with a high-high-low flight profile and 185 km with a low-low-low flight profile.

The missile's warhead weighs 120 kg with an overall weight of 416 kg, is 4 meters long, and is 480 mm wide. Such dimensions made it possible to use the missile in the internal compartments of F-35 aircraft, in addition to missiles that can be installed under the wing. In addition to F-35 fighters, the United States plans to equip F/A-18 Super Hornet naval fighter jets with the missile.

Integration work is currently underway, which will allow the US Navy Aviation to replace the Harpoon RCCs with a more effective weapon.

Militarnyi previously reported that the Norwegian defense company Kongsberg is increasing its production capacity through programs of the European Union, the Norwegian authorities, and its own investments.