On 5 June 2025, KONGSBERG announced that Germany had selected the JSM for its F-35 fighter jets, while contract negotiations were ongoing. The contract between the parties has now been signed. The acquisition is structured as a government-to-government sale between Norway and Germany, with Norway’s Defence Material Agency (NDMA) acting as contract partner. Germany is the fifth country to select the JSM alongside existing customers Norway, Japan, Australia and the US. 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 JSM is derived from the the Naval Strike Missile (NSM).
“We are pleased to welcome Germany as the fifth country to select the JSM. The acquisition confirms the missile’s position as the natural partner to the F-35, and further strengthens the already strong bonds between KONGSBERG and German industry on a range of projects, including missiles, submarines and weapon stations,” said Øyvind Kolset, Executive Vice President, missiles and pace, at Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.
The JSM will feature an option for ground strike and a two-way communications line, so that the missile can communicate with the central control room or other missiles in the air. This missile will be integrated with the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. Studies have shown that the F-35 would be able to carry two of these in its internal bays, while four additional missiles could be carried externally. Lockheed Martin and Kongsberg signed a joint-marketing agreement for this air-launched version of the NSM, as well as an agreement committing both parties to integrating the JSM on the F-35 platform. The project is funded by Norway and Australia. Kongsberg signed a contract for the first phase of development of the JSM in April, 2009. The JSM will have multicore computers running the Integrity real-time operating system from Green Hills Software.
Kongsberg Gruppen is a Norwegian multinational company, that supplies high-technology systems to customers in the merchant marine, defence, aerospace, offshore oil and gas industries, and renewable and utilities industries. In 2018, Kongsberg had revenues of NOK 14.381 billion, and 6,842 employees in more than 25 countries. The company is headquartered in Kongsberg. The Kongsberg Group has three business areas: Kongsberg Maritime, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and Kongsberg Digital.
