A joint strike missile installed on an aircraft. Credit: US Air Force.

The Norwegian Ministry of Defense has successfully test fired a joint strike missile (JSM) from an F-16 Fighting Falcon multirole fighter aircraft.

The fifth-generation cruise missile has been developed through a partnership between Raytheon and Norwegian defence company Kongsberg Gruppen.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

During the test, an F-16 fighter jet fired the missile, which travelled through varied terrain and altitudes to fly toward a pre-programmed target location.

The JSM seeker scanned the target area and the missile diverted to hit the actual target instead of aiming towards a dummy target.

“This test signalled the completion of an important phase of development, and showed promising progress for this missile to outpace some of today’s toughest defence systems.”

Carried out at the Utah Test and Training Range in the US, the test demonstrated the missile’s ability to change course to avoid striking against a decoy target and to fly at low, radar-evading altitudes.

Raytheon air warfare systems vice-president Mike Jarrett said: “JSM demonstrated its remarkable ability to recognise and destroy specific targets in challenging flight conditions.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

“This test signalled the completion of an important phase of development, and showed promising progress for this missile to outpace some of today’s toughest defence systems.”

Beginning with integration on the F-16 fighter jet, the two companies have collaborated to develop the JSMs for the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter jets.

Built on the Naval Strike Missile (NSM), JSM is a long-distance, anti-ship missile developed to take on high-value, heavily defended land targets.

The NSM was originally designed and developed for the Royal Norwegian Navy. It was offered by Raytheon and Kongsberg for the US Navy’s over-the-horizon weapon system.

In June, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace secured a contract from the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency to deliver JSM test missiles for integration on the F-35A joint strike fighters.