Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (Kongsberg) has been awarded a contract worth approximately NOK 16 billion ($2.3 billion) by the Polish Ministry of National Defence, to deliver four Naval Strike Missile (NSM) Coastal Defence System (CDS) squadrons.
The NSM can be launched from both land and sea-based platforms and is already in use by, or under delivery to, 12 countries, including Australia. It was selected in 2022 to replace the Harpoon Anti-Ship Missile capability for the Royal Australian Navy under Sea 1300.
The NSM is also being considered by the RAAF (the Joint Strike Missile, or JSM, is the air-launched variant) for carriage aboard F-35A aircraft, and by Army (as a land-based maritime strike capability) in the form of Thale's Strikemaster, a vehicle based on its Bushmaster carrying a pair of containerised NSM.
Poland was the first nation to acquire the NSM CDS capability in 2008, with an additional squadron in 2014. The contract award builds on over a decade of cooperation between Kongsberg, the Polish Government and Polish industry. The new deliveries will carry on into the 2030s.
“This contract is the largest single contract in the history of Kongsberg and is an important milestone in our more than 200 year long history," said Geir Håøy, President and CEO of Kongsberg.
"Poland has been a long-standing partner, and we are proud to sign this agreement. With the changed security situation in Europe, Poland is firm in its commitment to ensure important defence capabilities, and for KONGSBERG as an industry partner, this ensures predictability to invest and continue to build capacity to deliver on these needs."
The Coastal Defence System uses the NASAMS (National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System) command and control with the NSM control functionality.
As part of the contract, KONGSBERG will provide training and technical support, including simulators, to enable Polish personnel to conduct maintenance services in Poland.
“The NSM coastal defence system plays a significant role in supporting nations’ ability to defend their territory and citizens. We are proud to support Poland in building up such a capability," said Eirik Lie, President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.
"The determination demonstrated by the Polish Ministry of National Defence to acquire more NSM CDS is a sign of trust and confirms that our system represents the most effective capability available.”
The contract is dependent on approved export financing, expected to be finalised within a few weeks.