Denmark orders 200 million euros worth of Norwegian NSM missiles to strengthen its fleet

The Danish Ministry of Defence has announced the purchase of Naval Strike Missile (NSM) anti-ship missiles manufactured by the Norwegian company Kongsberg Defence Aerospace. They will replace the US Harpoon missiles used on the Iver Huitfeldt frigates.

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The contract between the procurement agencies of the Ministries of Defence of Norway and Denmark is worth NOK 2.1 billion (about EUR 180 million).

The agreement is aimed at strengthening maritime defence in Northern Europe and enhancing cooperation between Denmark and Norway. Denmark became the 14th country to opt for the NSM, joining Norway, Poland, Malaysia, Germany, the United States, Romania, Canada, Australia, Spain, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Latvia.

In addition, Denmark is changing the concept of future patrol ships for Arctic and Atlantic missions by strengthening its presence in Greenland. The contract for the development of these ships was signed in 2023.

The NSM is a subsonic cruise missile capable of hitting surface and ground targets. It is 4 m long, weighs over 400 kg and has a 120 kg warhead. In flight, the missile uses a GPS-corrected inertial control system, and at the final stage it is guided by an infrared homing head capable of recognising and selecting targets based on a heat signature database.

Source: Ministry of Defence of Denmark