The Spanish Navy awarded Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace a contract worth EUR 305 M on 15 December 2023 for the delivery of Naval Strike Missiles (NSMs), the Norwegian company announced the same day.
The Spanish Navy, which selected NSM in 2022, is acquiring the missiles through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). This is the first missile contract for Kongsberg to be handled by the NSPA.
Kongsberg will, in parallel, sign a co-operation agreement with the Spanish Directorate General for Armament and Material as a foundation to developing an industrial plan that will maximise Spanish industry co-operation and involvement. This includes the possibility of Spanish industry becoming part of the global NSM supply chain and a proposal for the establishment of a full life-cycle maintenance capacity for the NSM at Rota Naval Base in co-ordination with local industry.
The first Spanish Navy ships to be armed with NSMs will be the F-110 frigate class, the first two of which are currently being built by Navantia. The missiles are also intended to be integrated onto the Spanish Navy’s F-100-class frigates during their mid-life update, as well as onto future Spanish ships.
Kongsberg has expressed a hope that that the Spanish NSM contract “will provide a regional foothold for its missile programmes” and contribute to further co-operation between all the NATO members that use the NSM.
