Norwegian defense company Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has signed a contract exceeding €100 million ($117 million) with Denmark for the delivery of the Naval Strike Missile Coastal Defence System. The purchase follows Denmark’s earlier decision to equip its Iver Huitfeldt-class frigates with Naval Strike Missiles, further standardizing the weapon across naval and coastal defense roles.
The NSM CDS includes a networked fire control system, mobile launch platforms, and the Naval Strike Missile, which is capable of engaging both surface and land targets at ranges beyond 100 nautical miles. The system is designed to provide rapid deployment, high survivability, and precision strike capability in contested maritime environments.
Denmark’s last coastal missile batteries were phased out in 2003 after years of service. Those systems consisted of Harpoon missiles installed on Scania-based mobile launchers, originally transferred from Peder Skram-class frigates. In a later move, one of the retired Harpoon batteries was donated to Ukraine in 2022 to assist in countering Russian naval operations.
By procuring the NSM Coastal Defence System, Denmark becomes the fifth NATO country to operate the capability, alongside Poland, the US, Romania, and Latvia. The acquisition underscores Denmark’s renewed focus on coastal and maritime defense amid evolving regional security challenges in Northern Europe.
