Raytheon and Kongsberg formed a similar agreement last year to develop the Joint Strike Missile, the air-launched version of the NSM.
NSM, in operation today, provides superior strike capability against land and sea targets with a range in excess of 200 kilometers. It is the main weapon for Norway's new frigates and corvettes, Poland's land-based coastal defense, and an NSM was successfully test-fired from the U.S. S. Coronado littoral combat ship in September 2014. NSM was also a highlight of the 2014 Rim of the Pacific exercises when it was fired from the Royal Norwegian Navy's Fridtjof Nansen frigate and scored a direct hit on a target ship.
“Raytheon and Kongsberg have a proud history of consistent partnerships to produce and improve the world's most trusted weapon systems. This agreement enables us to bring a complete suite of solutions to the warfighter for the critical OASuW mission,” said Dr. Taylor W. Lawrence, Raytheon Missile Systems President.
“We are very pleased to be extending our teaming with Raytheon to also include the proven NSM. Together we will be able to leverage Norway's investment favorably for all our allies to solve the critical OASuW mission,” said Harald Annestad, Kongsberg Defense Systems President.
About NSM:
- Provides excellent penetration capability against enemy air defense systems
- Features an advanced Imaging Infrared Seeker with Autonomous Target Recognition
- Has high survivability against modern and future air defense systems
- Can fly at extremely low sea-skimming altitude, and has terrain-following flight capability
KONGSBERG (Norway) has more than 7,700 employees located in 27 countries and revenues of NOK 16.6 billion in 2014. KONGSBERG is an international, knowledge-based group delivering high technology systems and solutions to clients within the oil and gas industry, merchant marine, defense and aerospace.
Raytheon Company, with 2014 sales of $23 billion and 61,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, security and civil markets throughout the world.
With a history of innovation spanning 93 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as cyber security and a broad range of mission support services.
