Kongsberg studies JSM for submarine launch

Norway's Kongsberg Defence Systems has revealed plans to develop an encapsulated submarine-launched variant of its Joint Strike Missile (JSM), with development expected to be considered as an option for Norway's submarine fleet beyond 2020.

A derivative of the Nytt Sjomalsmissile/Naval Strike Missile (NSM) surface-to-surface guided missile, which entered service with the Royal Norwegian Navy (RNoN) in October 2012, JSM was initially conceived as an air-launched multimission precision-guided weapon designed for internal carriage on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). While retaining the imaging infrared seeker and GPS-aided navigation and guidance package of NSM, the JSM air vehicle has been substantially re-engineered to meet requirements for air launch and internal integration in the JSF weapons bay.

Changes include a slimmer, reprofiled airframe, a new turbojet engine, a revised intake arrangement, and new shoulder-mounted wing surfaces. Additional internal volume for fuel pushes range out to over 275 km; a two-way Link 16-compatible datalink is also incorporated.

Kongsberg is now looking to grow JSM into a wider family of precision-guided missiles, with the submarine-launch variant one option under study.