USAF orders Joint Strike Missile for its F-35s
USAF has become the third JSM customer behind Japan and Norway. (Image: Kongsberg)
The Joint Strike Missile (JSM) is a multirole version of the Naval Strike Missile. Norway funded the programme to develop and produce the JSM for the F-35 for anti-ship and land-attack missions.
The US Air Force has ordered JSMs from Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace under a US$141 million under a Undefinitised Contract Action (UCA) announced on 3 June.
The missile, a joint development by Raytheon and Kongsberg, has been designed for internal carriage on Lockheed Martin F-35A multirole aircraft.
Japan and Norway have already signed contracts for JSMs and full-operational capability is expected in 2025 with integration onto the latter’s F-35s. Missile deliveries for USAF will be expected to start in 2026.
Shephard Defence Insight noted that the JSM was designed to attack land and sea targets. It has a 230kg HE blast-fragmentation warhead and a range of 185–555km depending on the profile, with inertial, GPS and terrain-reference navigation systems. The missiles come with imaging, infrared homing and a target database.
Japan selected the JSM in 2017 and, on 1 December 2020, Kongsberg announced that it was awarded a second follow-on contract valued at NOK820 million (US$78 million) with Japan buying the JSM for their fleet of F-35 fighter aircraft.
In October 2021 Kongsberg announced that it would arm the Royal Norwegian Air Force fleet of F-35As with JSM under a NOK3.9 billion contract.
In 2023, Australia’s Strategic Defence Review noted that JSM would also be integrated onto the Royal Australian Air Force F-35A, with aircraft to be upgraded to Block 4 configuration.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
![Australian Government looks inwards to drop Chinese-made DJI drones]()
Australian Government looks inwards to drop Chinese-made DJI drones
Over the next decade the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) says it will invest some A$600 million of approved funding into the development and introduction of a range of airborne, surface and subsurface uncrewed systems.
-
![Lockheed nets $43 million US Army contract for Black Hawk modernisation]()
Lockheed nets $43 million US Army contract for Black Hawk modernisation
The initial funds will focus on the foundational capabilities to modernise the attack helicopter, including digital architecture that will allow for launched effects and UAS integration.
-
![New Zealand to procure MH-60R and A321XLR aircraft as plan to “rebuild” the NZDF begins]()
New Zealand to procure MH-60R and A321XLR aircraft as plan to “rebuild” the NZDF begins
The MH-60R Seahawk and A321XLR aircraft are the first procurement announcements designed to help delivery of a more combat capable and interoperable fleet to the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF), as outlined in the New Zealand government’s April Defence Capability Plan.
-
![USAF to use augmented reality technology in F-16 cockpit]()
USAF to use augmented reality technology in F-16 cockpit
The US Air Force awarded Red6 a contract to install its ATARS software into the aircraft to provide new training solutions, following successful integrations in the T-38 Talon and MC-130.
