Missile in a box – the NSM evolution continues
The Naval Strike Missile is a global success story with more than 15 user countries around the world. One of the advantages of the NSM is the flexibility of the system. The missile can be launched from a variety of platforms against a range of targets – with the same superior operational performance.
Now KONGSBERG has taken new steps to make the NSM deployable on new platforms and in new settings.
In the autumn of 2026, the company successfully conducted a test firing of an NSM Ballistic Test Vehicle from a standard 20-foot container.
The test demonstrates NSM Mission Module, a new containerised launch solution that shows how existing technology can be applied in new operational concepts.
The test was conducted in Norway, where the missile was launched from a container-based unit holding up to four missiles.
The objective was to verify safety aspects, logistical parameters related to handling and loading, as well as the system’s ability to manage pressure and blast effects during launch.
A more flexible deployment concept
The containerized solution represents an alternative way of deploying missile capability. By integrating the launcher into a standard shipping container, the solution can be transported more easily, moved between locations, and incorporated into existing logistics and transportation networks. A launching container can be deployed, without modifications, from ships, trucks or directly from the ground.
The solution could provide increased operational flexibility, particularly in regions with extensive coastlines and large geographical distances.
A containerised solution can be pre-positioned and deployed discreetly to support operations wherever the need arises. At the same time, it enables capabilities to be distributed across larger areas, providing greater operational flexibility and more deployment options. There is growing interest in concepts that enable capabilities to be distributed and repositioned across large geographic areas, with a containerized solution representing one possible approach.
Ståle Mortensson, Vice President BD & Strategy in Missiles & Aerostructures
