The Netherlands, following the UK, will replace Harpoon anti-ship missiles with NSM

At the end of November, Britain announced that it had ordered Norwegian Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) to replace the American Harpoon. Three weeks later, another European country did the same.

Here's What We Know

The Dutch Ministry of Defense has announced an order for NSM anti-ship cruise missiles for its Zeven Provinciën-class frigates. The cost of the contract and the number of missiles have not yet been specified. Deliveries will begin in 2025.

The NSM has several advantages over the Harpoon, in addition to a launch range of 185 km versus 125 km. The Norwegian missile has thermal imaging guidance, can hit ground targets and is made using stealth technology, which makes it less noticeable to enemy radars.

The Block II-level Harpoon weighs over 620 kg, and its warhead mass is 221 kg. The missile can reach a speed of 850 km/h. The NSM weighs about 400 kg, including the 125 kg warhead and booster. It has a top speed of Mach 0.95 (1173 km/h).

Source: Defense Brief