Germany to become fifth F-35 operator to procure the Joint Strike Missile
Peter Felstead
The German government has decided to acquire the Joint Strike Missile (JSM) for its F-35 Joint Strike Fighters in an agreement that is expected to be worth about NOK 6.5 billion (EUR 560 million) for Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.
According to the Norwegian Ministry of Defence (MoD), the German decision to procure the JSM was approved by the Bundestag on 4 June 2025. Following political consideration in the Bundestag, the agreement is expected to be concluded during the first half of 2025.
Germany is thus following Norway, the United States, Japan and Australia in selecting the JSM to arm its F-35s.
“Germany is a highly important European partner in defence materiel co-operation, and a major and valued ally in NATO,” Norwegian Defence Minister Tore O Sandvik said in a statement released by the Norwegian MoD. “Our already-close collaboration on missile systems becomes even more significant as both German and Norwegian F-35 fighter jets will be equipped with Kongsberg’s Joint Strike Missile,” he added.
The proposed acquisition is structured as a government-to-government sale between Norway and Germany under the Naval Defence Material Cooperation between the two nations. According to the agreement, Norway’s Defence Material Agency (NDMA) will act as contract partner.
“We are pleased to welcome Germany as the fifth nation to select the JSM for its F-35 fleet,” Eirik Lie, president of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, stated on 5 June. “The JSM’s navigation system, flight profile and automatic target recognition technology make it a great match for the F-35.”
The JSM is based on the proven technologies used in Kongsberg’s Naval Strike Missile. Currently being qualified and integrated by the Royal Norwegian Air Force, the JSM employs a highly accurate navigation system and low-altitude flight profile, with automatic target recognition supported by an advanced imaging infrared seeker.
The missile is 4 m long, weighs 416 kg and travels at high subsonic speed to ranges greater than 350 km.
