The German government has resolved to procure the Joint Strike Missile (JSM) for its F-35 fighter jets from Norway, with the deal anticipated to reach a value of approximately Nkr6.5bn ($644.22m).
With this decision, approved by Bundestag on 4 June, Germany joins the ranks of Norway, Japan, Australia, and the US as operators of the JSM.
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Developed by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace for the Norwegian armed forces, the JSM is based on the proven Naval Strike Missile (NSM).
The JSM represents a fifth-generation missile system capable of long-range, precision strikes. It is designed to be compatible with fixed-wing aircraft platforms. The missile system has a length of 4m, a weight of 416kg and can reach a maximum range of more than 150nmi.
Its primary function is to target both land and naval threats and is suitable for anti-surface warfare (ASuW) and naval fire support (NFS) tasks across various environments including open sea, over land, and in littoral zones.
Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace president Eirik Lie said: “We are pleased to welcome Germany as the fifth nation to select the JSM for its F-35 fleet. The JSM’s navigation system, flight profile and automatic target recognition technology make it a great match for the F-35.”
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By GlobalDataThis development was previously alluded to during Kongsberg’s first-quarter financial disclosures, with negotiations reported to be in progress.
The acquisition is being arranged through a government-to-government sale under the framework of Naval Defence Material Cooperation between Norway and Germany.
The Norway’s Defence Material Agency (NDMA) will be the contract partner as per the agreement.
Following legislative scrutiny by the Bundestag, the contract’s finalisation is projected for completion before the close of the first half of 2025.
In a statement released by Norwegian Ministry of Defence on X, Norwegian Defence Minister Tore Sandvik said: “Germany is a highly important European partner in defence materiel cooperation, and a major and valued ally in Nato. Our already close collaboration on missile systems becomes even more significant as both German and Norwegian F-35 fighter jets will be equipped with Kongsberg’s Joint Strike Missile.”
Germany formally joined the international Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter programme, with the signing of a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) on 14 December 2022. Aircraft deliveries are expected to commence in 2026.
