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The US Navy has signed a US$124 million deal with Raytheon Missiles & Defense and Kongsberg for the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) as part of the US Navy’s Over-The-Horizon Weapon System (OTH WS) program.
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This US$124 million deal is the largest order by the United States Navy for the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) with Raytheon Missiles & Defense serving as the US prime, supported by Kongsberg.
The Over-The-Horizon Weapon System is a long-range, surface-to-surface missile employed by either the littoral combat ship or the planned guided-missile frigate, intended to engage maritime targets both inside and beyond the firing unit’s radar horizon.
Eirik Lie, president of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, welcomed the announcement, saying, “This is the largest Naval Strike Missiles order from US Navy so far. This generates jobs and demand for increased production capacity, both for us and our suppliers. As announced at our CMD in June 2022, we have started a significant investment in a new missile production facility that will be finished in June next year.”
The Naval Strike Missile is a long-range, precision strike weapon that seeks and destroys enemy ships at distances greater than 100 nautical miles. The NSM immediately advances the US Navy’s desire to develop distributed lethality, ensuring control and freedom of the seas.
The Naval Strike Missile is designed to elude enemy radar and defence systems by performing evasive maneouvres and flying at sea-skimming altitude.
NSM uses an advanced seeker for precise targeting and carries a 500-pound class warhead with a programmable fuze.
In 2018, the US Navy selected the Naval Strike Missile for its over-the-horizon defence of littoral combat ships and future frigates. The USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) launched NSM in 2019 during Pacific Griffin, a biennial exercise conducted near Guam.
Raytheon Missiles & Defense is partnering with the Norwegian defence company Kongsberg Defence Aerospace to bring the fifth-generation missile stateside. The company builds launchers for the Naval Strike Missile in the United States and is using its extensive supply base to build the missile and other components in the US as well.
