Royal Navy’s HMS Somerset Fires First Naval Strike Missile in Norway Test

The Royal Navy has successfully conducted its first live-fire test of the Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile (NSM) from a frontline warship. The Type 23 frigate HMS Somerset launched the precision-guided missile during a multinational exercise off the coast of Norway, marking a significant milestone in the UK’s transition away from legacy Harpoon systems toward modern maritime strike capabilities.

HMS Somerset Fires NSM During NATO-Led Exercise

On September 25, 2025, HMS Somerset (F82), a Duke-class Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy, launched an NSM during Exercise Saxon Strike in Norwegian waters. The event marked the first-ever live firing of the Norwegian-designed missile by a British warship. The successful test was part of broader efforts to integrate and validate new anti-ship capabilities across NATO maritime forces.

According to official statements from both the UK Ministry of Defence and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KDA), the launch demonstrated full operational integration of the NSM with Royal Navy combat systems. The missile was fired at a designated target vessel and reportedly achieved direct impact with high precision. The test was coordinated with Norwegian Armed Forces and supported by NATO Maritime Command (MARCOM).

NSM Integration Replaces Aging Harpoon System

The Royal Navy selected the Naval Strike Missile as an interim replacement for its aging Boeing RGM-84D Harpoon Block 1C missiles under Project SPIKE. With Harpoon scheduled for retirement by late 2023 due to obsolescence and sustainment issues, rapid fielding of NSM became critical to maintaining long-range surface strike capability.

The NSM is being installed on five Type 23 frigates and two Type 45 destroyers under an urgent capability requirement announced in November 2022. Integration began in early 2023 through collaboration between Kongsberg and MBDA UK under a teaming agreement signed that same year. Initial installation on HMS Somerset was completed by mid-2024 at Devonport Dockyard.

Missile: Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile (NSM)
Range: >185 km
Warhead: ~125 kg high-explosive fragmentation
Guidance: GPS/INS + IIR seeker with autonomous target recognition
Launch platform: Deck-mounted canister launchers (quad-pack configuration)
Status: Interim solution until Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon (FC/ASW)

Kongsberg-MBDA Partnership Enables Rapid Deployment

The integration effort leveraged existing NATO interoperability frameworks and previous experience with NSM deployment aboard U.S. Navy Littoral Combat Ships and Norwegian Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates. MBDA UK provided system architecture support to ensure compatibility with British CMS systems such as DNA(2) used on Type 23 platforms.

Kongsberg’s modular launcher design allowed for relatively quick installation without major ship modifications. The entire process—from contract award to first live fire—was completed within approximately two years, underscoring the urgency placed on restoring credible anti-surface warfare capabilities within the Royal Navy fleet.

Tactical Implications for Royal Navy Surface Warfare

The introduction of NSM significantly enhances the Royal Navy’s ability to engage surface threats at standoff ranges while operating in contested environments such as Northern Europe or Indo-Pacific theaters. Unlike Harpoon, which relies heavily on active radar guidance susceptible to jamming or spoofing, NSM uses an imaging infrared seeker coupled with terrain-following flight profiles for stealthy penetration against defended targets.

This makes it particularly suited for littoral operations where adversaries may employ sophisticated electronic warfare or deny GPS access. Moreover, its autonomous target recognition reduces operator workload while enabling precision engagement even when data links are degraded or jammed—a growing concern in peer conflict scenarios.

Toward FC/ASW: Bridging Capability Gap Until Next-Gen Missiles Arrive

The current NSM deployment is considered an interim solution pending development of the joint Anglo-French Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon (FC/ASW) program led by MBDA. That system—expected to enter service around early-to-mid-2030s—will provide extended range (>1000 km), supersonic or stealth characteristics depending on variant (cruise vs anti-ship), and multi-domain targeting flexibility.

Until then, NSM offers a credible deterrent and operationally relevant toolset for NATO-aligned navies seeking parity against Russian Kalibr-equipped corvettes or Chinese YJ-series missiles deployed across Asia-Pacific flashpoints. Its adoption by multiple allies—including Poland, Germany, Canada, Australia—also strengthens coalition logistics and doctrine alignment around common munition types.