Spain to Equip F100 Frigates With Kongsberg Naval Strike Missiles

Spain has awarded Kongsberg a contract of 305 million euros ($334 million) to supply its ships with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM).

The NSMs will be used by the Spanish Navy’s F110-class fleet, which were developed and currently under construction by shipbuilding company Navantia.

The missiles will also be implemented on the F100-class ships during their midlife updates. It will replace the navy’s Harpoon anti-ship missiles, scheduled to be phased out by 2030.

The deal is the first missile contract handled by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency, the alliance’s main service provider for multinational support solutions.

Opportunities for Cooperation

Kongsberg will also sign a cooperation agreement with Spain’s Directorate General of Armament and Material to develop an industrial plan that will connect the country with its global missile supply chain.

The agreement will include a proposal for the establishment of an NSM maintenance facility at Naval Station Rota in the Cádiz province.

NSM’s Capabilities

Designed as an anti-ship and land-attack missile, the NSM is capable of hitting targets 200 kilometers (120 miles) away.

The missile flies at sea-skimming altitudes, which lowers the probability of it being detected and shot down during its flight. Its high thrust-to-weight ratio allows it to perform advanced terminal maneuvers.

The NSM is favored by countries like Norway and the US as an advanced ship-killing capability.