US Navy fires Naval Strike Missile

In the Pacific, the USS Gabrielle Giffords successfully tested a Naval Strike Missile (NSM). The ship belongs to the Independence-class and can carry up to eight of these missiles on board. On both types of the American Littoral Combat Ships (Independence- and Freedom-class), the NSMs are deployed in equal numbers and represent the main armament. The originally Nytt sjømålsmissil This missile was developed by the Norwegian company Kongsberg. It is equally suitable for engaging sea and land targets up to a distance of over 100 nautical miles. The total weight is 407 kilos, the warhead weighs 125. In flight, it reaches a speed of just under the sound limit. As a fifth-generation missile, the NSM can select its altitude according to the terrain. Inertial navigation, GPS and terrain recognition are available for target detection. Objects can be detected by imaging infrared homing recognised and controlled.
In 2018, the US Navy decided in favour of introducing this missile. The contract, worth around 900 million dollars, provided for the missiles to be built and delivered by Raytheon Technologies.

Text: mb; Photo: US Navy