Hobart class destroyer, HMAS Sydney, has conducted a successful firing of the Naval Strike Missile.

The Naval Strike Missile was launched from a ship during the world’s largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC 2024.

The Australian Navy has emphasized that arming warships with NSM missiles would expand their strike capabilities.

As part of its surface fleet modernization program in 2022, the country ordered a Naval Strike Missile from the Norwegian company Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace (KONGSBERG). The initial contract was worth $71 million.

The missiles are scheduled to enter service in the second half of 2024.

They will be armed by Australian Anzac-class frigates and Hobart-class destroyers. The missiles will be the main anti-ship weapon of these surface warships.

In June 2024, Militarnyi reported that the Australian Navy had begun equipping its ships with NSM missiles.

At that time, one of the photos of the Australian Navy’s press service showed a transport and launch container for the NSM missile aboard the missile destroyer HMAS Sydney.

The Naval Strike Missile (NSM) is a subsonic anti-ship missile that is capable of striking surface and ground targets. The missile, with a length of 4 m and a mass of 410 kg, is equipped with a modern target recognition system.

The maximum launch range is more than 185 km, and the mass of the penetrating, high-explosive warhead is 120 kg.

Australia is strengthening the combat capabilities of its Navy against the backdrop of the Chinese fleet’s increased activity in Oceania. In June this year, the Royal Australian Air Force received the first MQ-4C unmanned aerial vehicle by Northrop Grumman.