Kongsberg and Thales have conducted a live-firing test of a Naval Strike Missile (NSM) test munition from the StrikeMaster missile launch vehicle in Norway.
The NSM is an advanced, fifth-generation, stealth cruise missile designed for both maritime strike and land attack against heavily defended targets. It has been selected by, or is under delivery to, 14 nations, including Norway, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, where it entered service with the Royal Australian Navy in 2024.
StrikeMaster is Kongsberg’s Australian configuration of the NSM CDS, using Thales Australia’s Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle as the platform for a twin pack NSM launcher.
The NSM itself can be deck-launched from ships or fired from trucks as part of the NSM Coastal Defence System (CDS) without modification. NSM is currently used in a land-based strike configuration with Poland and the US Marine Corps (USMC), and has been selected by three other NATO nations.
“This successful live-fire proves the combination of the NSM and Bushmaster can provide a potent land based maritime-strike capability for Australia and our allies, and it will be made right here in Australia – supporting a sovereign industrial base,” Thales Australia’s Chief Executive Officer Jeff Connolly stated.
“This firing is a clear demonstration of StrikeMaster’s capability, providing assurance in the launcher’s reliability and performance, and confirming its suitability for Australia and other nations,” Kongsberg Defence Australia’s Managing Director John Fry said.
The StrikeMaster NSM CDS system will be built in Australia, across Kongsberg Defence Australia and Thales Australia’s factories in Adelaide and Bendigo.
The NSM will soon be manufactured in the Kongsberg Missile Factory, which is under construction near Newcastle, with NSM deliveries from the site commencing in 2027.