Article Posted on : - Apr 10, 2015

A Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile (NSM). Photo: U.S. Navy/ by Zachary D. Bell

WASHINGTON (BNS): Raytheon Company and Kongsberg have formed a teaming agreement for the Naval Strike Missile (NSM).

The pact represents a second step in the companies' efforts to offer world-class Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare (OASuW) solutions to the many governments interested in this warfare mission, Raytheon said in a statement.

Raytheon and Kongsberg formed a similar agreement in 2014 to develop the Joint Strike Missile, the air-launched version of the NSM.

According to Raytheon, NSM, in operation today, provides superior strike capability against land and sea targets with a range in excess of 200 kilometres. The missile can fly at extremely low sea-skimming altitude, and has terrain-following flight capability.

It is the main weapon for Norway's new frigates and corvettes, Poland's land-based coastal defence, 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," said Dr. Taylor W. Lawrence, Raytheon Missile Systems president. "This agreement enables us to bring a complete suite of solutions to the warfighter for the critical OASuW mission."

"We are very pleased to be extending our teaming with Raytheon to also include the proven NSM," said Harald Annestad, Kongsberg Defence Systems president. "Together we will be able to leverage Norway's investment favorably for all our allies to solve the critical OASuW mission."