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
-
![Saab to begin delivering new missile variant for RBS 70 air defence system in 2027]()
Saab to begin delivering new missile variant for RBS 70 air defence system in 2027
The Bolide 2 missile has a larger warhead than the original version as well as an aluminium nose cone, which replaces a copper version and allows for more explosive content and fragments.
-
![Saab unveils new round to defeat explosive reactive armour]()
Saab unveils new round to defeat explosive reactive armour
The HEAT 758 has a tandem warhead consisting of an initial charge which neutralises the explosive reactive armour and the main charge which penetrates the primary armour. It is fired from a standard Carl-Gustaf M4 weapon launcher and has been ordered by an undisclosed customer.
-
![Malaysian Army vehicle renewal slowed by politics, scandal and economic strain]()
Malaysian Army vehicle renewal slowed by politics, scandal and economic strain
Despite political and economic headwinds, companies are positioning themselves for current and upcoming Malaysian Army requirements. Shephard spoke with some of them at DSA 2026.
