Danish NSM Systems To Cover Western Baltic

Denmark will strengthen control over the western Baltic Sea by deploying Naval Strike Missile (NSM) coastal anti-ship missile systems.

This was reported by the Danish Ministry of Defense.

The first NSM systems, once they enter service, are planned to be deployed at the naval base in Korsør.

According to Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, the key task of the country’s armed forces is to ensure control and freedom of action in Danish waters, which serve as critical access routes to the Baltic Sea.

In addition, to protect underwater infrastructure in the Baltic region, Denmark will deploy a specialized vessel at the naval base in Frederikshavn.

Poulsen stressed that the state is critically dependent on this infrastructure and must ensure its protection with its own forces.

Danish Contract for NSM

In December 2025, it became known that Denmark would strengthen its coastal defense by purchasing new anti-ship missile systems using Naval Strike Missile missiles amid growing threats from Russia.

The total cost of the purchase exceeds €100 million.

At the same time, the Danish government has not disclosed the number of launchers and missiles ordered. It has only stated that the first deliveries are expected in 2026.

Denmark thus became the fifth NATO member to acquire this system, after Poland, the United States, Romania and Latvia.

Earlier, in March of the same year, Denmark also ordered Naval Strike Missile missiles to equip its Iver Huitfeldt-class frigates. They are intended to replace the U.S.-made Harpoon anti-ship missiles.

NSM

The Naval Strike Missile (NSM) is a new-generation, subsonic, high-precision anti-ship missile designed to engage both surface and land targets.

The missile was developed by the Norwegian company Kongsberg. It is about four meters long and has a launch weight of roughly 410 kg.

The NSM is equipped with a combined warhead and an advanced target-recognition system, providing high accuracy even in complex combat conditions.

For flight, the missile uses a TRI-40 turbojet engine in combination with a solid-fuel launch booster.

Its maximum range exceeds 185 kilometers, and the penetrating high-explosive warhead weighs about 120 kg.

The NSM is being actively integrated into the naval forces of NATO countries and is regarded as a key element of modern coastal and maritime defense systems.