USAF Orders Second Production Lot of Joint Strike Missiles for F-35 Fleet

The US Air Force has awarded Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace a $240.9-million firm-fixed-price contract to produce the second production lot of the Joint Strike Missile (JSM).

The contract covers all-up rounds, containers, test hardware, and support items. Work will be carried out in Kongsberg, Norway, with completion expected by November 30, 2028.

Its first production lot was ordered in May 2024 for $141 million, followed by a $69.5-million order in January 2025, with deliveries expected in 2026.

The number of missiles to be procured under the latest contract was not disclosed, although the service said in 2023 that it planned to acquire 268 JSMs over the next five years.

Joint Strike Missile

An enlarged, air-launched derivative of Kongsberg’s Naval Strike Missile, the JSM was adapted for integration onto the F-35A and F-35C during the missile’s initial development phase.

The Lockheed Martin-built aircraft can carry the missile both internally and externally, enabling a range of strike missions against maritime and land-based targets.

Its ability to fit inside the F-35’s internal weapons bay allows the aircraft to preserve its low-observable characteristics, enhancing survivability.

The JSM is intended as an interim stand-off anti-ship weapon pending the integration of the larger AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile on the F-35.

Features

The 4-meter (13-foot) missile has a range of up to 350 miles (563 kilometers) and weighs approximately 407 kilograms (897 pounds).

It carries a 260-pound (118-kilogram) warhead and uses GPS and inertial navigation for midcourse guidance, complemented by an imaging infrared seeker for precise targeting in the terminal phase of flight.

The passive seeker’s immunity to radio-frequency jamming further enhances the missile’s operational effectiveness.