U.S. Navy eyes Norwegian missile

Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace of Norway says it will fire its Naval Strike Missile from a U.S. Navy Littoral Combat Ship.

The firing of the missile, requested by the Navy under the Foreign Comparative Testing program, is to demonstrate the missile's capability to engage a surface target at a range of 100 nautical miles.

"We are very pleased that the U.S. Navy has decided to evaluate the NSM missile," said Harald Annestad, president of Kongsberg Defense Systems. "This contract does not, however, include any commitment for the U.S. Navy beyond the test, but confirms NSM's unique capabilities and the test will enable the US Navy to study it closer in a realistic scenario."

The missile will be fired this month from the USS Coronado, an Independence-class LCS.

Kongsberg said the demonstration follows a recent successful live firing of the missile from the Royal Norwegian Navy's Fridtjof Nansen-class frigate during joint naval exercises in the Pacific.