Kongsberg to supply JSM to RNoAF for F-35

Norwegian company Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS has been awarded a contract worth 3.95 billion Norwegian Kronor by the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) to supply the Joint Strike Missile (JSM) for Norway’s fleet of F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft.

The partnership between Kongsberg, the Norwegian Armed Forces and Norwegian Defence Research Establishment in the definition, development and test of the JSM has been critical factor in developing a missile with such advanced capabilities, the company says.

“The Joint Strike Missile, as part of the Norwegian F-35 fighter jet, enables the Norwegian Air Force to operate within the challenging and complex environment ensuring the defence of vital national interests. The development of the missile has been ongoing since 2008, and with this contract, completes development and test and enters a full rate production phase. This program secures employment and business for Kongsberg and our extensive supply chain partners for years to come,” says Eirik Lie, President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.

The JSM is a fifth-generation stealth air-to-surface missile developed to fulfill the F-35’s anti-surface warfare and land attack capability needs. The missile can be carried internally ensuring the aircraft’s low-signature capabilities, and it has superior performance against well-defended sea- and land targets across long distances.