Netherlands Navy Selects Kongsberg’s Naval Strike Missile
Norwegian defense company Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS have announced the Koninklijke Marine (Royal Netherlands Navy)’s selection of the Naval Strike Missile.
The Dutch Ministry of Defence stated that the missiles would equip air defense and command frigates as a replacement for the Harpoon anti-ship missile currently in service. The De Zeven Provinciën-class currently carry up to eight Harpoons. The armament of the class will undergo modernisation with the Netherland’s Strategic Defence Review 2022 earlier announcing the acquisition of RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) and BGM-109 Tomahawk.
Developed by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, the NSM is launched from an above deck launch container. It is currently operated by Norway, Poland and the United States with future operators to include Germany, Australia and Canada. Just last week the United Kingdom signed a contract to procure the Naval Strike Missile to replace Harpoon aboard a total of eleven Type 23 frigates and Type 45 destroyers. This widespread use was cited by the Dutch Ministry of Defence as one of the reasons for the missile’s selection as it “benefits the cooperation and can, for example, provide economies of scale in the future through joint purchasing.”
In a press statement about the deal to provide the Dutch Navy with Naval Strike Missile Eirik Lie, President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, said:
“KONGSBERG is very proud to have been selected by the Netherlands Ministry of Defence to provide the NSM to the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) Air Defence & Command Frigates. This is another great achievement for the NSM program and we are very pleased to welcome the RNLN as a member of the NSM User Group,”
READ: A Short Guide to Naval Missiles
At the time of writing Kongsberg could not provide further details on the value and size of the contract with the Netherlands. According to the Dutch Ministry of Defence Kongsberg are expected to deliver the new missiles beginning in 2025.
Header image: Artist’s render of an Naval Strike Missile being launches from a Dutch frigate (Netherlands Ministry of Defence)