Norway To Invest $622 Million In Final Phase Of JSM Development

Norway is planning to invest nearly $622 million in the third and final phase of development of the Joint Strike Missile (JSM), according to statement issued on 23 May by the Norwegian Ministry of Defence.

Since 2004, the JSM is under development with an objective to equip future Norwegian F-35 combat aircraft with a weapon that allows for successful engagement of highly defended sea- and land targets at very long range. 

The new combat aircraft, along with the JSM, will strengthen Norway’s national threshold against war and conflict in its own immediate region, which is also NATO’s northern region. 

The JSM is a long-range precision-guided anti-surface missile being developed in partnership between Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KDA) and the Norwegian Armed Forces. In many ways the missile operates as a small autonomous aircraft that has been designed with one specific mission in mind - to give the Armed Forces the ability to strike well-defended targets at a distance. Its main targets will be modern naval vessels equipped with advanced self-defence systems, but the JSM can also be used against land targets. 

In order to carry out these missions, the JSM must be able to make its way to the appropriate target, avoid the target's defensive systems and finally strike its target in exactly the right place. The JSM achieves this capability through a unique combination of technical solutions, several of which have been developed in Norway specifically for the NSM and the JSM. 

Like its predecessor, the NSM, which is now operational with the Royal Norwegian Navy, the JSM is equipped with a small jet engine, wings and tail fins, and turns and banks like an aircraft. This ensures better maneuverability and greater range than a rocket-powered missile, such as the older Norwegian Penguin anti-ship missile. 

The JSM is made out of advanced composites, and is designed to have a minimal radar signature. Along with its ability to maneuver like a small aircraft, which allows it to fly along the ground and hide in the terrain, this ensures that the missile usually only will be detected at a very short range from the target. 

The missile is also the first of its kind designed specifically to fit within the internal weapons bay of the F-35. This allows the F-35 to carry up to two JSM internally - one missile in each weapons bay. This ensures that the F-35 will be able to retain its low radar signature while carrying the weapon, making it very difficult to detect for any opponent. The F-35 is also able to detect targets for the JSM at extended distances either using its own powerful sensors, or by using target information transmitted from other platforms. This allows the F-35 to deliver the weapon at a significant distance, which in turn reduces its own risk of detection.