Canada selects the Joint Strike Missile

Designs for the Kongsberg Joint Strike Missile (Kongsberg)

Canada announced on 8 July that it became the sixth nation to select the Joint Strike Missile (JSM).

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the CAD800 million deal at the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara, Türkiye.

Norwegian company Kongsberg originally announced the contract would be for NOK4.7 billion on 30 June, but did not disclose the customer.

The air-launched, precision strike missile will be integrated into the Royal Canadian Air Force's fleet of next-generation fighters. Its primary launch platform is the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.

Eirik Lee, Kongsberg CEO, said in a company statement that it was “committed to contributing to industrial growth” in Canada as Kongsberg also announced a CAD76.5 million investment into Canada's maritime sector through its Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy.

The investment is designed to create “long term industrial capacity by stimulating job creation, the development of dual-use technologies and strengthening the defence industry through collaboration between industry and academia”, according to the company.

Canada joins Norway, Japan, Australia, Germany and the United States as JSM customers acquiring the missile through Direct Commercial Sale for their fighter fleets.

Belgium also operates the JSM, which it acquired from the US through a Foreign Military Sale in May 2026.

The US signed a USD141 million contract with Kongsberg for JSM in June 2024, before signing another NOK2.7 billion contract to acquire more JSMs in June 2026, with deliveries expected to be completed by the end of 2029, according to Kongsberg.

Germany selected the JSM in June 2025 in a NOK6.5 billion deal, before agreeing to a follow-on agreement valued at NOK3.5 billion in May 2026.