F-35 jet. Source: Wikimedia Commons, Kaszynzki, Lockheed Martin, CC BY 2.0
German authorities want to acquire Joint Strike Missile (JSM) from Norway. During the NATO summit in The Hague, Defense Ministers Tore O. Sandvik and Boris Pistorius signed an agreement on further cooperation.
The contract value will be approximately 6.5 billion kroner (393 mln USD) This agreement facilitates the Norwegian authorities entering into a contract with Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KDA) for the delivery of JSM missiles to Germany.
“Norway and Germany are getting closer defense cooperation. The JSM cooperation is a good example of this. JSM is a new advanced missile specially developed for the F-35 fighter jet, which can destroy well-defended sea and land targets over long distances with high precision. It provides a superior military capability,” says Tore O. Sandvik.
“The acquisition of the Joint Strike Missile is just one part of the broad and trusting cooperation between Norway and Germany. We have a genuine and good strategic partnership between equals,” says German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
The German Bundestag approved the acquisition on June 4, 2025.
Facts about the JSM:
JSM is a new advanced missile, specially developed for the F-35. The missiles will be used on the 35 F-35A fighter jets that Germany is acquiring from the United States.
The German missiles will have the same configuration as the Norwegian ones.
Germany will thus become the fifth country to acquire the JSM, alongside Norway, Japan, Australia and the United States.
Defence Material has started deliveries of JSM to the Norwegian Armed Forces, which was marked at Ørland Air Station on Monday 28 April, where Norway’s first super missile was displayed.
What can the Joint Strike Missile do?
The JSM is a four-metre-long, 400-kilogram cruise missile with a 120-kilogram warhead and a range of at least 275 kilometres. The weapon is thus shorter and lighter than the Taurus, which measures over five metres and weighs just under 1.4 tonnes. The Taurus also has a longer range of up to 500 kilometres. However, both cruise missiles are designed to engage ground targets.
Joint Strike Missiles display. Source: Wikimedia Commons, Strak Jegan, CC BY-SA 4.0
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