Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (‘KONGSBERG’) has entered a fourth follow-on contract with Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF, Kōkū Jieitai) to supply the Joint Strike Missile (JSM) for the country’s fleet of F-35A fighter aircraft. The contract is valued at NOK 1.9 billion. Japan first ordered the JSM in 2018 and has since placed several follow-on contracts with KONGSBERG. The JSM is a 5th generation stealth air-to surface missile developed to fill the JASDF F-35A anti-surface warfare (ASuW) and land attack capability gaps. JSM can be carried internally in the F-35A thus ensuring the aircraft’s agility, range and low-signature capabilities. The JSM user community continues to grow, and now includes Norway, Japan, Australia and the US Air Force.
“The fifth order for the Joint Strike Missile underlines the important role of the JSM in Japan’s national defence strategy and is another example of the close and growing relationship between Norway, Japan and KONGSBERG,” said Eirik Lie, President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.
The Joint Strike Missile (JSM) is a multi-role, air-launched cruise missile under development by the Norwegian company Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and American company Raytheon Missiles & Defense. The Joint Strike Missile (JSM) is an advanced iteration of the Naval Strike Missile (NSM), designed with enhanced capabilities for ground strikes and featuring a two-way communication system. This allows the missile to relay information to a central control room or communicate with other airborne missiles. The JSM is set to be integrated with the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, which can carry two of these missiles internally and an additional four externally. This integration underscores the missile’s versatility and operational effectiveness in modern warfare.
Lockheed Martin has partnered with Kongsberg through a joint-marketing agreement for the JSM, committing both organizations to its integration on the F-35 platform. Funded by Norway and Australia, the development project commenced with a contract signed by Kongsberg in April 2009, with expectations for completion within 18 months. Compared to the NSM, the JSM boasts a larger warhead, an optimized form factor for internal bay compatibility with the F-35, and the capability to engage both sea and land targets. Furthermore, it features improved range estimates of 150 nautical miles (170 miles; 280 km) to over 300 nautical miles (350 miles; 560 km) in varied flight profiles, with serial production having started in 2021.
