Kongsberg Equips Second Royal Navy Frigate With NSM

HMS Portland has become the second of the Royal Navy's eight Type 23 frigates in service to be fitted with Kongsberg's Naval Strike Missile (NSM).

The frigate was recently equipped with the new weapon and completed testing at the Norwegian Navy’s Haakonsvern base, near Bergen, as per a recent Royal Navy press statement.

The NSM has replaced the vessel's Harpoon system; the new sea-skimming missile has range in excess of 100 miles and flies at close to the speed of sound. The projectile is also used by the navies of various other NATO allies including Norway, Poland, Germany, America and Australia.

Portland's sister ship HMS Somerset has already acquired NSM capabilities; in due course the weapon is also scheduled to be fitted to the remaining frigates in the same class, as well as to the Royal Navy's Type 45 destroyer fleet.

Lieutenant Commander Gary Chambers, the Weapon Engineer Officer on HMS Portland, said: “Through close collaboration with Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and DE&S Torpedoes and Maritime Strike, the successful completion of NSM trials has ensured that HMS Portland is prepared for future tasking.

“We are embracing this technology in defence of the nation and are equipped to fight and win.”

“With the completion of its Harbour Acceptance Test, NSM has been successfully integrated into HMS Portland,” added Øyvind Kolset, Executive Vice President, Missiles & Space at Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.

Portland will now undergo some scheduled maintenance to ensure she's mission-ready for deployments in 2025.

• You can read more details on the Royal Navy website