The US State Department has approved the possible sale of Kongsberg-developed Naval Strike Missile (NSM) coastal defense systems to Romania.
The Naval Strike Missile flies at sea-skimming altitude with a 500-pound class warhead with a programmable fuze and can engage targets both at sea and on land.
The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notification said Romania intended to buy two coastal defense systems with fire distribution centers, four mobile launch vehicles, transport loading vehicles, naval strike missiles and non-operational inert handling/loading missile (IHM) to support missile handling and loading/unloading
Also included are up to ten Link-16 multifunctional information distribution system – joint tactical radio systems (MIDS-JTRS).
The total estimated value of the potential deal is $300 million.
“The proposed sale will improve Romania’s capability to meet current and future threats by improving Romania’s maritime defense capabilities in the Black Sea and increasing interoperability with the United States,” the DSCA statement read. “Romania will use this long-range, precision strike weapon to enhance mission effectiveness, survivability, and NATO interoperability in current and future missions and operations.”
The main contractor would be Raytheon, who has teamed with Norway’s Kongsberg to bring NSM production to the US.
NSM is employed by Norwegian frigates and corvettes and is in operation with the Polish Navy. The missile is also currently in production for the US Navy, US Marine Corps and the Royal Malaysian Navy.
