The Norwegian company Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace AS has been awarded a 1 350 million NOK ($138,650,000) contract by Raytheon Missiles & Defense for delivery of the Naval Strike Missile Coastal Defence System to Romania.

This was reported by the press service of the Kongsberg company based on an announcement sent to the Oslo Stock Exchange.

The Naval Strike Missile (NSM) will be created by the manufacturer Raytheon Technologies in partnership with the Norwegian Kongsberg.

In April 2021, Romania decided to protect its sea coast with NSM missiles on mobile land-based launchers.

At the same time, Romania signed a contract with Raytheon Missiles & Defense, and the missiles and launchers ordered by it should be delivered by 2024. However, the United States later opted to seek assistance from Norway’s defense industry. Perhaps the parties signed this agreement in order to deliver missiles to Romania as soon as possible, because of Russian aggression against Ukraine and the war in the Black Sea.

The Naval Strike Missile (NSM) can be launched from both land- and sea-based platforms and is already in use or chosen by 11 countries. The NSM is regarded as the most advanced naval strike missile in the world.

“Romania’s selection of our NSM Coastal Defense System is an important milestone. Their selection confirms that our world leading solutions are contributing to a nation’s security. The NSM-based system will provide Romania with the most modern and effective coastal defense available today. The contract also continues the successful cooperation we have with Raytheon Missiles & Defense,” said Eirik Lie, President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS.

The NSM is part of the support program for the Romanian Mobile Anti-Ship Missile Launcher (SIML) system. According to the Romanian Ministry of Defense, the contract will be completed by 2024, and the system of mobile launchers for launching anti-ship missiles will be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2024.

The prospective SIML system will include four mobile launchers, a mobile command post, transporter-loader vehicles, sensors, primary logistics support, maintenance and test equipment, cryptographic and special equipment, specialist assistance, personnel training, training equipment, and also specific databases. It is currently unknown on which chassis the coastal missile system will be mounted.

Naval Strike Missile

The Naval Strike Missile (NSM) is an anti-ship medium-range missile developed and designed by the Norwegian company Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace.

The missile is equipped with an infrared homing head that has its own database of targets. Due to it, missiles are able to recognize specific types of targets and choose the right one. Control on the marching part of the flight is carried out using an inertial system with correction of GPS system signals.

The missile, which is 4 meters long and weighs more than 400 kg, has a combined warhead weighing 120 kg. The maximum launch range is 185 km.