Article Posted on : - Sep 25, 2014

A Kongsberg photo.

POINT MUGU, CALIFORNIA (BNS): The US Navy's Independence-class littoral combat ship (LCS) USS Coronado has successfully test-fired the Kongsberg-made Naval Strike Missile (NSM) on September 23.

The test, conducted at Point Mugu test range in California, is the first such test firing of the long-range anti-ship strike missile from the US Navy's LCS class of warship, Norwegian defence firm Kongsberg said.

The missile followed the pre-planned trajectory towards a target ship 100 nautical miles away. When the missile arrived at the target area, it located and hit the target at the preselected hit point, it said.

All test objectives were met, and the demonstration was very successful.

The test also provided US Navy insights into the NSM's unique capabilities of targeting, range and survivability, the company said.

The latest demonstration follows a successful NSM live fire event from the Royal Norwegian Navy's Fridtjof Nansen class frigate during the recently completed Rim of the Pacific 2014 maritime exercise.

"We are very pleased that the US Navy evaluates the NSM missile. This contract does not however include any commitment for the US Navy beyond the test. The missile is in series production for Norway and Poland, and this test has enabled the US Navy to study it closer in a realistic scenario", says Pal Bratlie, Executive Vice President, Kongsberg Defence Systems.