USAF orders Joint Strike Missile for its F-35s
USAF has become the third JSM customer behind Japan and Norway. (Image: Kongsberg)
The Joint Strike Missile (JSM) is a multirole version of the Naval Strike Missile. Norway funded the programme to develop and produce the JSM for the F-35 for anti-ship and land-attack missions.
The US Air Force has ordered JSMs from Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace under a US$141 million under a Undefinitised Contract Action (UCA) announced on 3 June.
The missile, a joint development by Raytheon and Kongsberg, has been designed for internal carriage on Lockheed Martin F-35A multirole aircraft.
Japan and Norway have already signed contracts for JSMs and full-operational capability is expected in 2025 with integration onto the latter’s F-35s. Missile deliveries for USAF will be expected to start in 2026.
Shephard Defence Insight noted that the JSM was designed to attack land and sea targets. It has a 230kg HE blast-fragmentation warhead and a range of 185–555km depending on the profile, with inertial, GPS and terrain-reference navigation systems. The missiles come with imaging, infrared homing and a target database.
Japan selected the JSM in 2017 and, on 1 December 2020, Kongsberg announced that it was awarded a second follow-on contract valued at NOK820 million (US$78 million) with Japan buying the JSM for their fleet of F-35 fighter aircraft.
In October 2021 Kongsberg announced that it would arm the Royal Norwegian Air Force fleet of F-35As with JSM under a NOK3.9 billion contract.
In 2023, Australia’s Strategic Defence Review noted that JSM would also be integrated onto the Royal Australian Air Force F-35A, with aircraft to be upgraded to Block 4 configuration.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
![Anduril to supply loitering munitions to Ukraine with UK funding]()
Anduril to supply loitering munitions to Ukraine with UK funding
Since July 2024, the UK Government has provided more than £5.26 billion in support to Ukraine, including £3 billion in annual military aid and a £2.26 billion loan for defence spending. The latest deal will see Anduril supply Altius-600M and Altius-700M loitering munitions.
-
![Leonardo and Baykar join forces to develop uncrewed aerial systems]()
Leonardo and Baykar join forces to develop uncrewed aerial systems
Baykar’s AKINCI drone will be the first focus platform for the joint venture, with the first prototype targeted for development in 12 to 18 months.
-
![Boeing delivers last Apache AH-64E Guardian attack helicopter to British Army]()
Boeing delivers last Apache AH-64E Guardian attack helicopter to British Army
The helicopters have been remanufactured using common parts from the British Army AH-64 MkI fleet with the 17 not being converted going for a range of uses such as engineering, ground handling and other training.
