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10/27/2025 | Press release | Archived content
Australia’s StrikeMaster conducts successful Naval Strike Missile test firing in Norway
Australia's StrikeMaster conducts successful Naval Strike Missile test firing in Norway
- Asia-Pacific
- Australia
- Weapon systems
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- Type News In Brief
- Published 27 Oct 2025
KONGSBERG and Thales announce today the successful live-firing of a Naval Strike Missile (NSM) test munition from the StrikeMaster missile launch vehicle in Norway. This activity demonstrates the suitability of the Thales Australia's Bushmaster Utility variant as a launch platform for KONGSBERG's NSM, confirming StrikeMaster as a low-risk solution to deliver on Australia's long range strike requirements. The test munition, known as a blast test vehicle (BTV) comprises the missile's boost rocket motor and is used to confirm the safe launch of the NSM.
The NSM is an advanced, fifth generation, stealth cruise missile designed for both maritime strike and land attack against heavily defended targets. It has been selected by, or under delivery to, 14 nations including Norway, the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, where it entered service with the Royal Australian Navy in 2024. The NSM itself can be deck launched from ships or fired from trucks as part of the NSM Coastal Defence System (CDS) without modification. NSM is currently used in a land based strike configuration with Poland and the US Marine Corps (USMC), and has been selected by three other NATO nations.
StrikeMaster is KONGSBERG's Australian configuration of the NSM CDS, using Thales Australia's proven Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle as the platform for a twin pack NSM launcher. The configuration is similar to the launcher used by the USMC's NMESIS Ground Based Anti-Ship Missile program, which is currently being deployed in the region.
The StrikeMaster NSM CDS solution also includes a Fire Control Centre and Missile Re-supply Vehicle, both using the Bushmaster Platform. The StrikeMaster NSM CDS system will be built in Australia, across Kongsberg Defence Australia and Thales Australia's factories in Adelaide and Bendigo, using over 150 local suppliers and creating or retaining 700 Australian jobs. The NSM will soon be manufactured in the Kongsberg Missile Factory which is under construction near Newcastle, with NSM deliveries from the site commencing in 2027.
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THALES SA published this content on October 27, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 31, 2025 at 07:07 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]