HMS Somerset becomes first Royal Navy warship to fire Naval Strike Missile

The Type 23 frigate HMS Somerset has become the first Royal Navy (RN) warship to fire a Naval Strike Missile (NSM), the RN announced on 29 September 2025.

The firing was made inside Norway’s Arctic rocket range in Andøya during Exercise Aegir 25, which took place throughout September and also included firings from land-based launch systems and by Norway’s Coastal Ranger Command.

Staff from Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, which manufactures the NSM, were on board HMS Somerset to support the firing.

The NSM, which is also in service with the Norwegian, US and Polish navies, is capable of addressing both sea and land targets at ranges greater than 300 km.  The missile, which travels at a high subsonic speed, has a low radar cross-section and evades detection by skimming just above the surface of the sea. It also performs high-g manoeuvres in its terminal phase to avoid being countered by hostile point defences.

The missile’s high-resolution imaging infrared seeker provides autonomous target recognition and ensures a precise impact point on the target.

As well as HMS Somerset, the NSM is currently fitted to the Type 23 frigates HMS Richmond and HMS Portland and will ultimately be fitted to all RN Type 23 frigates and Type 45 destroyers.

The NSM plugs the gap between the RN’s current Harpoon anti-ship missile and the advent of its permanent successor: the Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon (FC/ASW). The latter will become the RN’s premier long-range, heavy-duty anti-ship missile and will be carried by the next generation of RN warships fitted with the Mk41 Vertical Launch System, including the new Type 26 and Type 31 frigates.

UK Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard was quoted by the RN as saying, “The NSM is one of the most advanced missiles in our naval arsenal. It will give the Royal Navy and our allies an edge against our enemies.”

He said of the test firing, “This milestone, achieved through our exemplary international partnership with Norway, significantly enhances our maritime deterrent and underscores the government’s dedication to investing in the technologies that will maintain Britain’s secure.”

Commander Matthew Cox, the RN’s NSM programme director, stated, “This programme showcases the strong UK-Norwegian strategic partnership, enabling the UK to achieve its first ship installation within 12 months of business case approval: an unprecedented pace for a complex weapons programme.

“The UK’s first NSM firing, hosted by Norway at Andøya, further highlights this enduring collaboration.”