Norwegian F-35As to carry Joint Strike Missile
Joint Strike Missile. (Photo: Kongsberg)
Kongsberg confirms order to arm Norwegian F-35s with the multirole variant of the Naval Strike Missile.
Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace announced on 21 October that it will arm the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) fleet of F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft with the Joint Strike Missile (JSM), under a NOK3.95 billion ($473 million) contract.
The JSM is currently being adapted by Japan and Norway and can be stored internally by F-35As for anti-ship and land-attack missions.
The RNoAF Norwegian Air Force operates 22 F-35As with another 30 on order.
Kongsberg noted that its partnership with the Norwegian Armed Forces and Norwegian Defence Research Establishment in defining, developing and testing JSM ‘has been [a] critical factor in developing a missile with such advanced capabilities’.
Shephard Defence Insight notes that the JSM is a multirole version of the Kongsberg/Raytheon Naval Strike Missile. It has a 230kg HE blast-fragmentation warhead with a range of between 185-555km, depending on profile.
In July 2021, BAE Systems obtained a contract to support JSM with stealth technologies such as radar-absorbing material.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
![Callen-Lenz pushes ahead with Nyan OWE as it hails operational success]()
Callen-Lenz pushes ahead with Nyan OWE as it hails operational success
The one-way-effector uncrewed aerial vehicle has also been tested by the British Army, following on from its contract award notice in February 2026.
-
![Eurosatory 2026: Locally produced loitering munition destined for UAE Navy, says MBDA]()
Eurosatory 2026: Locally produced loitering munition destined for UAE Navy, says MBDA
The contract signed between MBDA and Fly-R will see diamond-shaped loitering munitions developed and prepared in the UAE. How does this move fit into wider market trends in the region?
-
![Eurosatory 2026: MBDA and Thales look to civilian industry for loitering munition scale-up]()
Eurosatory 2026: MBDA and Thales look to civilian industry for loitering munition scale-up
Thales and MBDA have taken steps to ensure the mass production of their respective loitering munition offerings at Eurosatoy, teaming with civilian manufacturers. These moves come amid France’s push towards sovereign drone production and continued market expansion.
-
![Eurosatory 2026: How the deep-strike, loitering munition market skyrocketed to $13.8 billion in three years]()
Eurosatory 2026: How the deep-strike, loitering munition market skyrocketed to $13.8 billion in three years
Ukraine’s rapid development of long-range, deep-strike loitering munitions has helped turn the sector into a market worth an estimated US$13.2 billion. The reasons behind this were outlined during Eurosatory 2026, as other countries embark on the early stages of procuring this capability.
-
![Eurosatory 2026: Why security agencies are expanding UAS operations across Europe]()
Eurosatory 2026: Why security agencies are expanding UAS operations across Europe
Uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) are an increasingly important tool for Europe’s law enforcement and public security agencies, with the past two years seeing rapid growth in operational deployment, procurement and regulatory acceptance.
