DIVISION MISSILE SYSTEMS & AEROSTRUCTURES

NSM – CONTRACT FOR SERIAL PRODUCTION

In December 1996, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace concluded a contract valued at NOK 1.5 billion with the Norwegian Navy for the development of a new Naval Strike Missile (NSM). KONGSBERG developed the NSM in collaboration with the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment and the Royal Norwegian Navy. It is one of Norway's most advanced development projects. In June 2007, KONGSBERG secured a contract valued at approx. NOK 2.5 billion for serial production of the new anti-ship missile.

NSM is an autonomous missile that is four metres long and weighs about 400 kg. It has a range of 185+ kilometres. The missile has properties that enable it to follow the sea and terrain at a very low altitude at high subsonic speed. It is built of composite material and has a surface and shape that make it difficult to detect on radar.

The missile is equipped with an infrared imaging seeker that represents the most advanced seeker technology in the world. Using satellite navigation (GPS), inertial navigation and a laser altimeter, the missile knows exactly where it is. The missile contains a large number of processors that process data in real-time for guidance and navigation, and handle target detection through image recognition. The missile selects its trajectory towards the target using map coordinates. In the final phase, the flight pattern is unpredictable, making it difficult to shoot down.

The NSM will be the main weapon deployed on the new Norwegian Skjold Class missile torpedo boats and Norway's new Nansen Class frigates. The final successful test firing of the missile in 2007 demonstrated that it is the most advanced missile of its kind in existence today. That translates into demand and makes the missile attractive on the market. Besides serial production of the NSM for Norway, the Group therefore expects sales to other countries as well.

KONGSBERG has also studied the opportunities for developing a missile custom-made for fighter craft. This new product will be named the Joint Strike Missile (JSM). The missile may be of interest for all three of the fighter craft (the Joint Strike Fighter, JAS Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon) on the Norwegian Armed Forces' short list to supersede the F-16 fighter craft.

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