The Royal Navy has completed its first-ever launch of the Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile (NSM) from a British warship. The test firing from HMS Somerset—a Type 23 Duke-class frigate—occurred off the coast of Scotland in September 2025 and marks a major milestone in replacing the aging Harpoon missile system. The successful trial demonstrates progress toward fielding a modern anti-ship capability under the Future Offensive Surface Weapon (FOSW) program.
NSM Launch Marks Operational Milestone for Royal Navy
HMS Somerset conducted the live-fire test of the NSM during Exercise Joint Warrior off Scotland’s west coast. According to official statements from the UK Ministry of Defence and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, the missile successfully struck its intended target at sea after being launched from modified deck-mounted canisters aboard the frigate.
This event represents the first time a Royal Navy surface combatant has fired an NSM—a fifth-generation precision strike weapon developed by Norway’s Kongsberg and adopted by multiple NATO navies. The launch is part of an accelerated procurement initiated after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine prompted urgent re-evaluation of NATO naval strike capabilities.
From Harpoon to NSM: A Long-Awaited Capability Leap
The NSM replaces the legacy Boeing RGM-84D Harpoon Block 1C missiles that have equipped Royal Navy ships since the mid-1980s. With their retirement originally scheduled for 2018 and later extended to around 2023–24 due to delays in successor programs, Royal Navy vessels had been operating with limited anti-ship missile capability until interim solutions were procured.
In November 2022, then Defence Secretary Ben Wallace announced that Norway would supply NSMs for installation on at least three Type 23 frigates and one Type 45 destroyer as part of an interim solution ahead of FOSW. The integration was completed rapidly—within approximately two years—demonstrating agile acquisition practices under urgent operational requirements (UORs).
- Missile range: Over 185 km (100+ nautical miles)
- Guidance: GPS-aided INS with imaging infrared (IIR) seeker
- Warhead: ~125 kg high-explosive blast-fragmentation
- Launch platform: Deck-mounted canister launchers retrofitted to existing ships
- Stealth features: Low radar cross-section and sea-skimming profile
Kongsberg’s NSM Gains Ground Across NATO Fleets
The NSM is rapidly becoming NATO’s de facto standard for ship-launched anti-surface warfare (ASuW). In addition to Norway and now the United Kingdom, it has been selected or fielded by Poland, Germany, Canada, Australia, Malaysia—and notably by both branches of the U.S. military: as part of Raytheon-Kongsberg’s joint offering for both U.S. Navy Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) and Marine Corps ground-based batteries under NMESIS.
The missile’s strength lies in its passive terminal guidance via imaging infrared seeker combined with autonomous target recognition algorithms. This allows it to discriminate between targets even in cluttered littoral environments or amid decoys—a key advantage over older radar-guided systems like Harpoon or Exocet.
The Role of HMS Somerset and Future Deployments
HMS Somerset was chosen as one of three Type 23 frigates to receive NSMs as part of this interim capability rollout. Alongside HMS Montrose and HMS Kent—both also undergoing modifications—the ship received deck-mounted quad launchers installed amidships where Harpoon tubes were previously located.
This approach avoids deep structural changes or vertical launch system retrofits while enabling rapid fielding. The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed that at least four frontline warships will be equipped with NSMs by late FY2025. These include three Type 23s and one Type 45 destroyer—likely HMS Duncan or HMS Dauntless based on available drydock schedules.
Toward Future Offensive Surface Weapon Program
The current NSM fit is considered an interim solution pending selection under the broader FOSW program—a joint UK-French initiative originally scoped under MBDA’s Perseus concept but now likely to evolve into a multi-option competition involving hypersonic-capable or extended-range subsonic systems.
The FOSW timeline remains uncertain but is expected to enter formal assessment phases post-2026. Until then, NSMs will provide credible standoff strike capabilities against peer adversary surface combatants—especially relevant given rising Russian naval activity in northern waters and increasing emphasis on NATO maritime deterrence posture.
