Showing posts with label Kongsberg. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kongsberg. Show all posts

Thursday, June 27, 2024

Germany Approves Funding for Supersonic Naval Missile Development and Extensive Missile Purchases



 


Germany's parliament has approved funding for the acquisition of thousands of missiles and the development of a supersonic naval cruise missile, as announced by the Defence Ministry.

In collaboration with Norway, Germany will work on developing the supersonic Tyrfing missile. A key parliamentary committee released funds for Berlin's first venture into creating modern naval missiles, which currently are mostly French or American-made.

While Norway and its state-owned arms manufacturer Kongsberg will lead the project, Germany plans to invest approximately €650 million ($695 million) into the development through 2033.

The new missile, named 3SM Tyrfing, is slated to be operational by 2035. The contract, expected to finalize by August, will involve Diehl Defence and MBDA working on the German side.

Initially, Germany’s portion will be funded from Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s special military fund, established following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In subsequent years, funding will come from the regular defense budget.

Kongsberg describes the Tyrfing as a “new super missile” to succeed the Naval Strike Missile developed in the early 2000s. The 3SM (Super Sonic Strike Missile) is anticipated to be ready by 2035. Besides Norway and Germany, Kongsberg aims to market the missile to other European armed forces.

Additionally, the German budget committee has approved purchasing up to 3,266 Brimstone 3 rockets, scheduled for delivery by 2033 under a contract expected to pass next month. Initially, 274 missiles and necessary equipment will be purchased from MBDA Germany for about €376 million. An additional 29 Brimstones will be used for operational testing and 75 for training and telemetry.

These rockets are intended for the Eurofighter fleet, the core of Germany’s Air Force. Berlin first announced plans to acquire the air-to-ground missile in 2017. The British Royal Air Force has utilized the Brimstone family of missiles for nearly two decades, including in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. A contingent of German Eurofighters is also deployed in the Baltics to bolster NATO’s stance against Russia.

The parliamentary budget committee also approved acquiring 506 Stinger man-portable air defense systems, valued at approximately €395 million, to replace 500 ground-to-air missiles sent to Ukraine.

Germany has been a leading supporter of Ukraine, providing more military aid than any country except the United States. According to the Germany-based Kiel Institute for the World Economy, the German government has sent €10.2 billion in military aid to Ukraine as of the end of April 2024.

Monday, June 3, 2024

Kongsberg Secures $141M Contract to Supply Joint Strike Missiles to USAF for F-35A Aircraft





 Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KONGSBERG) has secured an Undefinitized Contract Action (UCA) from the United States Air Force (USAF) for the provision of Joint Strike Missiles (JSM) for their F-35A aircraft. This contract is valued at up to $141 million, with deliveries scheduled to commence in 2026.

Expressing satisfaction with the deal, KONGSBERG highlighted the significance of the USAF, the largest operator of the F-35A Lightning II, choosing the JSM. The combination of the JSM with the advanced F-35 aircraft offers a robust strike capability, validating the JSM as the internal strike weapon for the F-35A. Eirik Lie, President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, noted that the USAF's selection of the JSM, alongside the Royal Norwegian Air Force's decision, supports NATO’s vision for interoperability among allied forces.

About the Joint Strike Missile (JSM):

The Joint Strike Missile (JSM) is an air-launched weapon designed for the internal weapons bay of the F-35A, capable of executing complex missions such as Anti-surface Warfare (ASuW) and land attacks. It targets high-value, well-defended assets on sea, in coastal waters, or on land. The JSM features sophisticated mission planning capabilities, allowing it to engage targets based on predefined Rules-of-Engagement.

The JSM was developed under a contract with the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA). In 2021, the Norwegian Defense Material Agency successfully conducted the first in-flight release of the JSM from an F-35A test aircraft over Edwards Air Force Base. The JSM, an air-launched variant of the Naval Strike Missile (NSM), is unique in its ability to attack both sea and land targets while being carried internally in the F-35, thus preserving the aircraft's stealth characteristics. Utilizing advanced materials, terrain-following capabilities, and passive seekers, the JSM is designed to be extremely difficult to detect and counter, even by the most sophisticated defense systems.