Poland to Buy Naval Strike Missile from Kongsberg
Poland has struck a deal with Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace to purchase a ground-launched version of the company's Naval Strike Missile.
It's the first export customer for the Norwegian-developed weapon.
The Polish military plans to use the missile to defend its Baltic Sea coast. First deliveries of the weapon system are scheduled for 2011with the final handover of systems due by the end of 2012.
Contract value is initially put at 800 million kronar ($116 million), but Kongsberg officials said there is an option for further weapon deliveries.
The deal will see Norway's leading defense contractor supply the NSM in conjunction with a command and weapon control system similar to the NASAMS air defense system.
NASAMS uses Raytheon's AIM-120 AMRAAM missile and is in service with Norwegian and export customers.
State-owned Polish company Przemyslowy Instytut Telekomunikacji (PIT) will supply the radar for the coastal artillery batteries. Polish contractors also will provide the communications and the trucks that will carry the missile launch ramps.
Norwegian officials said that although it is not part of the deal, it is possible they will include the PIT supplied radar in future export efforts with the ground-based NSM system.
The NSM is in series production for the Norwegian navy. First deliveries resulting from a 2007 deal worth 2.7 billion kronar are slated for next year. The missile is destined for deployment on the new Norwegian Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates and Skjold-class missile boats.
The Norwegians also are adapting the weapon for air launch applications. A Joint Strike Missile variant is being developed for possible use on the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
The aircraft recently was selected by Norway to replace its aging F-16s by the middle of the next decade.
NSM is a fourth-generation missile with a range in excess of 150 km. The sea-skimming weapon can handle littoral and open-sea anti-ship roles and can be used as a land-attack cruise missile.
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