Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has entered a multi-year procurement contract with the US Navy for the supply of Naval Strike Missiles (NSM). 

The contract covers deliveries to both the Navy and Fleet Marine Force over five years.  

Valued at Nkr10bn ($903.43m), this fixed-price contract includes options that, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to Nkr12bn. 

Being installed on littoral combat ships (LCS) and Constellation-class frigates, the NSM is a key part of the US Navy’s Over-the-Horizon Weapons System (OTH-WS) Programme.

The LCS is a class of small surface combatants designed to defeat global challenges in the littorals.

The Constellation-class guided-missile frigate includes an enterprise air surveillance radar (EASR), baseline ten (BL10) Aegis combat system, an Mk 41 vertical launch system, and more.

Kongsberg is also delivering the NSM to the US Marine Corps as a key component of its Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) Programme.  

The NSM is a flexible system that can be launched from a variety of platforms against a variety of targets on sea and land.

Featuring a high thrust-to-weight ratio, NSM offers good manoeuvrability while its autonomous target recognition ensures correct identification and engagement of targets.

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace president Eirik Lie said: “This contract is an example of the strong demand we see for our strike missiles across Nato and allied nations, which is why we this year have opened a new missile factory in Norway and announced two facilities in Australia and the US.

“The multi-year procurement contract vehicle provides Kongsberg and all our sub-suppliers stability into the entire supply chain and workforce.”

In September, Kongsberg announced the building of a new missile factory in James City County, Virginia, in response to increasing demand for NSM and JSM [Joint Strike Missiles].