Eurosatory 2026: Kongsberg enhancing NSM and Rusty Dagger, preparing 3SM for possible ELSA role

The 3SM Tyrfing missile is expected to utilise solid-fuel ramjet propulsion. (Kongsberg)

Kongsberg's ‘Tyrfing' supersonic strike missile (3SM) project is ready to be incorporated into Europe's ELSA long-range strike programme, company representatives told Janes in May and June 2026.

3SM

Kongsberg is cooperating with Diehl Defence and MBDA on the 3SM under its common German-Norwegian missile programme, Stein Engen, director business development strike missiles at Kongsberg told Janes .

He said it is not a next-generation Naval Strike Missile (NSM), but is intended to be a complementary weapon with higher speed and range, adding that “if the NSM is a rifle, the 3SM is a marksman's rifle.”

“It will be part, potentially, of the ELSA programme... The starting point is that it will be fired from ships, from the Mk41 vertical launcher, but it can also be put on a truck... There's an understanding that Europe has a lack of long-range strategic fires.” Engen said. While Norway and Kongsberg are not formally part of ELSA, the company sees ELSA as a strategic system enabling a wide range of deep strike weapons, he added on 17 June.

Launched in July 2024, the European Long Range Strike Approach (ELSA) is intended to improve European militaries' cross-domain interoperability for ISR, targeting, and effectors to improve deep strike capabilities. While it had not as of May 2026 facilitated the fielding of any systems, its work areas include ground-launched cruise or other missiles with ranges potentially up to 2,500 km, long-range one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with a range up to 500 km, and supporting intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) capabilities.