Naval Strike Missile

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Naval Strike Missile
Type littoral/open sea anti-ship/land attack cruise missile
Production history
Manufacturer Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace
Specifications
Weight 410 kg
Length 3.95 m
Warhead 125 kg HE fragmentation
Detonation
mechanism		 programmable fuze
Engine solid fuel rocket booster, Microturbo TRI-40 turbojet
Operational
range		 160 km
Flight altitude sea skimming
Speed high subsonic
Guidance
system		 inertial, GPS, terrain-reference navigation, imaging infrared homing, data link, target database
Launch
platform		 naval ships, fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, land-based vehicles

The Naval Strike Missile (NSM) is an anti-ship and land-attack missile developed by the Norwegian company Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KDA), and whose initial serial production contract was signed in June 2007. It has been chosen by the Royal Norwegian Navy for its new Fridtjof Nansen class frigates and Skjold class patrol boats.

The original Norwegian name was Nytt sjømålsmissil (literally New sea target missile); the English marketing name Naval Strike Missile was adopted later.

Contents

[edit] Design and features

The state-of-the-art design and use of composite materials is meant to give the missile sophisticated stealth capabilities. The missile will weigh slightly more than 400 kg (880 lb) and have a range of at least 160 km (100 mi). NSM is designed for littoral waters ("brown water") as well as for open sea ("green and blue water") scenarios.

Like its Penguin predecessor, NSM is able to fly over and around landmasses, travel in sea skim mode, and then make random manoeuvres in the terminal phase, making it harder to stop by enemy countermeasures. While the Penguin is a yaw-to-turn missile, NSM is based on bank-to-turn flight (see flight control).

The target selection technology provides NSM with a capacity for independent detection, recognition, and discrimination of targets at sea or on the coast. This is possible by the combination of an imaging IR (IIR) seeker and an onboard target database. NSM is able to navigate by GPS, inertial and terrain reference systems.

After being launched into the air by a solid rocket booster which is jettisoned upon burning out, the missile is propelled to its target in high subsonic speed by a turbojet sustainer engine—leaving the 125 kg multi-purpose blast/fragmentation warhead to do its work, which in case of a ship target means impacting the ship at or near the water line.

[edit] Joint Strike Missile

There are plans to develop a multi-role version of the NSM, with ground strike being an option. This missile will be integrated with the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II "Joint Strike Fighter", and might be integrated with the Eurofighter and the JAS 39 Gripen as well. Studies have shown that the F-35 would be able to carry two of these in its internal bays, while additional missiles could be carried externally.

According to Kongsberg, this "multi-role NSM" is the only anti-ship missile that will fit inside the F-35's internal bays.[1] Lockheed Martin and Kongsberg have signed a joint-marketing agreement for this air-launched version of the NSM, called the Joint Strike Missile (JSM). The project is funded by Norway and Australia.[2][3] The JSM is planned to feature a two-way communications line, so that the missile can communicate with the central control room or other missiles in the air. By September 2007 the missile development is still only at the planning stage.[4]


Improved features for the Joint Strike Missile include:

  • Ability to attack sea and land based targets
  • Multiple arial launch platforms (F-35, Gripen NG, Eurofighter Typhoon, MH-60 Seahawk, P-8 Poseidon)
  • Longer range than NSM
  • Long-term, production start in 2013


[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Lager Joint Strike Missile (Norwegian) – Lars Magne Sunnanå, E24 business website, 31 January 2007
  2. ^ Sign joint marketing agreement – KDA press release, 31 January 2007
  3. ^ Norway pushes naval strike missile for JSF – Jane's Defence Weekly, 20 July 2005
  4. ^ Sommerens vinnere (Norwegian) – Atle Abelsen, Teknologi & Verkstedindustri, vol.5, September 2007

[edit] External links