Germany Procures Joint Strike Missile for F-35 Fleet

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (Kongsberg) has signed a contract valued at approximately NOK 6.5 billion (about €563 million/$643 million) for the delivery of the Joint Strike Missile to Germany, the company announced on June 30th, 2025. This follows Kongsberg’s initial announcement on June 5, 2025, that Germany had selected the missile for its F-35 fighter jets, with contract negotiations then ongoing. 

The acquisition is structured as a government-to-government sale between Norway and Germany, with Norway’s Defence Material Agency (NDMA) acting as the contract partner. Germany is now the fifth country, alongside Norway, Japan, Australia, and the US, to select the Joint Strike Missile, reinforcing its role as a key weapon for the F-35.

Kongsberg has continuously expanded its missile production to meet rising demand for both the Joint Strike Missile and Naval Strike Missile (NSM) on which it is based. This includes opening a new facility in the US following several large orders from US customers. In November 2024, Kongsberg secured a significant contract worth up to NOK 12 billion (€1.1 billion/$1.2 billion) for the delivery of the NSM to the US Navy and Marine Corps. This was followed by a NOK 896 million (€76 million/$89 million) deal on January 16, 2025, for additional NSM missiles. The US Air Force ordered additional Joint Strike Missiles for its F-35A fleet in January this year, modifying an existing contract that is expected to procure around 268 of the missiles. 

The German F-35A aircraft are scheduled for delivery beginning in 2026. Once fielded, the Luftwaffe will join other operational users of the JSM, enhancing Germany’s long-range precision strike capabilities and strengthening NATO cooperation.

Tech profile: Joint Strike Missile 

A Joint Strike Missile hits a target during tests. The target appears to be simulating an air defence radar. Credit: Kongsberg

The Joint Strike Missile is a multi-role, air-launched cruise missile derived from the Naval Strike Missile (NSM). It is specifically designed to fit within the internal weapons bays of the F-35A and F-35C, preserving the aircraft’s stealth capabilities. This internal carriage is crucial as external weapons can compromise a stealth aircraft’s radar cross-section. The missile, weighing approximately 416 kg and measuring 4.0 metres in length, is equipped with a dual-effect warhead capable of both blast-fragmentation against soft targets and penetrative effects against fortified structures. Its propulsion system, a Williams International F-415 small turbofan engine, enables high subsonic cruise speeds. The JSM features an advanced multi-mode guidance system including GPS, inertial navigation, and an imaging infrared (IIR) seeker with autonomous target recognition (ATR) for precision engagement in complex environments, even where GPS is denied. A two-way data link provides real-time in-flight updates and mission retasking.

Calibre comment

The F-35 family is very capable in terms of its sensors and stealth, which means that it can perform a variety of roles across an armed force, servicing needs in the air, land, and at sea. However, there is little value in penetrating an adversary’s air defence network if the aircraft is unable to strike anything. So, weapons integration is a key requirement and internal weapons carriage in particular as it sustains the external profile of the F-35 and its stealth characteristics. The UK is notably behind in this regard as its primary long-range strike capability, the Spear 3 cruise missile, is not expected to enter service until the 2030s. 

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on 1st July, 2025.