US Marine Corps orders NMESIS launchers
Pictured in August 2021, a USMC Landing Craft Air Cushioned delivers an NMESIS launcher to the Pacific Missile Range Facility Barking Sands in Hawaii, as a part of Large Scale Exercise 2021. (Photo: USN/Senior Chief Petty Officer Justin Oxford)
Raytheon will supply production-representative NMESIS launchers and weapon control systems for the USMC ahead of an expected in-service date of 2023.
Raytheon Missiles & Defense is to provide the USMC with more production-representative models of Navy/Marine Corps Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) launchers and weapon control systems (WCSs), the DoD announced on 24 May.
This followed a previous order in December 2021.
NMESIS is designed to fire the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) manufactured by Kongsberg and Raytheon.
Work on a $22.58 million contract modification from Marine Corps Systems Command is scheduled for completion by December 2023, mostly (70%) by Kongsberg in Norway with the remainder taking place at two US locations.
NMESIS is a land-based missile launcher platform that provides the Fleet Marine Force with an anti-ship strike capability.
The system integrates an NSM launcher unit with two encanistered missiles on an unmanned variant of the Oshkosh-made Joint Light Tactical Vehicle.
The NLU is controlled by the WCS, which is operated from a separate C2 vehicle.
The USMC requested $57.8 million for 35 NSMs in FY2022 and a total of $208 million was enacted for the NMESIS programme, rising to $345 million in the FY2023 budget request.
Marine Corps Systems Command has stated that it expects NMESIS to enter service in 2023.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
![Raytheon UK team awarded US$2.7 billion British Army training contract]()
Raytheon UK team awarded US$2.7 billion British Army training contract
The British Army’s Collective Training System 15-year contract is planned to provide soldiers with an integrated, digitally enabled system and transform how they train, prepare and adapt for future missions.
-
![Combined arms the Turkish way – showcasing new tech at an amphibious exercise]()
Combined arms the Turkish way – showcasing new tech at an amphibious exercise
New Turkish weapon systems and operational capabilities continue to evolve, as the recent EFES 2026 event clearly demonstrated.
-
![What does the proliferation of larger platforms mean for the UGV market?]()
What does the proliferation of larger platforms mean for the UGV market?
A surge in heavier, combat-focused uncrewed ground vehicles is emerging, although operational demand remains uncertain.
