Countries around the world are always looking for ways to strengthen their defense capabilities.
In Denmark, the focus has recently shifted to improving the country's naval power. The decision was made to purchase new anti-ship missiles.
After careful consideration, Denmark chose the Norwegian Naval Strike Missile (NSM), a popular and reliable option.
The agreement between Denmark and Norway will be made through an intergovernmental deal, reports WP.
The total value of the deal has not been officially revealed, but it is estimated to be between 900 million and 1.5 billion Danish kroner (around 120 to 200 million euros).
Denmark’s choice of the NSM missile was based on several factors. These include its combat capabilities, cost-effectiveness, fast delivery, and the fact that many NATO allies already use the missile.
Denmark will be the 14th country to adopt the NSM. Countries like the USA, Germany, Canada, and the UK have already made similar purchases.
Denmark needed new missiles after giving up its previous supply of American AGM-84 Harpoon missiles.
These Harpoons were sent to Ukraine to aid in the fight against Russian aggression. Two types of missiles were competing for the contract: the Norwegian NSM and the Swedish Saab RBS15 Mk3+.
Both are among the best in the world. Interestingly, both also competed for a similar contract in Poland, where the RBS15 Mk3 was initially chosen.
However, in 2024, Poland decided to equip its new frigates with the NSM instead.
This contract is likely just the beginning for Denmark’s missile procurement. With the amount involved, it seems that more orders will follow.
The NSMs will first be installed on Denmark's Iver Huitfeldt-class frigates, which are due for modernization.
After that, other ships like the Absalon-class and new Danish patrol ships will be equipped with the same missiles.
The NSM is a modern missile designed to strike surface and land targets. It is equipped with a 120 kg high-explosive fragmentation warhead.
Its navigation system uses a combination of GPS, inertial navigation, and terrain mapping. The missile is difficult to detect because it flies close to the water’s surface.
With a range of 185 km, it can hit targets from a long distance. This missile can be launched from ships or land-based platforms.
