Home Travel Canada signs $564 million joint strike missile contract with Kongsberg

Canada signs $564 million joint strike missile contract with Kongsberg

Canada signs 4 million joint strike missile contract with Kongsberg

The Joint Strike Missile will be installed on Canada’s F-35 fleet, giving it the ability to carry standoff weapons internally.

Canada has chosen Kongsberg’s Joint Strike Missile (JSM) as its new air-to-ground standoff weapon. The $564 million in compensation makes Canada the sixth operator of the weapons, following Norway, Japan, Australia, the United States and Germany, according to a July 8, 2026 press release from the Norwegian company.

Kongsberg said the JSM’s “incorporation into Canada’s next-generation fighter aircraft will provide a significant operational advantage to the Royal Canadian Air Force.” The company also planned broader regional defense investments within Canada under the Industrial and Technical Benefits (ITB) policy.

“KONGSBERG today also announced its investment in Canada through Canada’s Industrial and Technical Benefits (ITB) policy,” the press release said. “We aim to create long-term industrial capabilities by promoting job creation, development of compatible technologies, and strengthening of the defense industry through industry-academia cooperation.”

Erik Lie, CEO of Kongsberg, said, “We are pleased to welcome Canada as the sixth country to select JSM. The acquisition of the Joint Strike Missile will fundamentally enhance the operational range and effectiveness of Canada’s fighter aircraft fleet. In addition to providing world-class defense technologies, KONGSBERG is committed to contributing to the country’s industrial growth.”

Weighing 416 kg and measuring 4 meters long, the JSM flies at high subsonic speeds and has a range of over 350 km (189 nautical miles). The weapon is equipped with a highly accurate navigation system capable of a low-altitude flight profile.

Kongsberg also said JSM uses advanced mission planning systems to exploit sea and land terrain. Automatic target recognition is supported by an advanced imaging infrared seeker.

Canadian and American F-35s

The JSM, an air-to-ground variant of Kongsberg’s anti-ship Naval Strike Missile (NSM), is the only air-launched weapon in its class that can be carried internally by the F-35. The American-made JASSM and LRASM are too large for the Lightning II’s internal weapons bay and can only be transported externally.

However, a major diplomatic row between Ottawa and Washington has put the purchase of the fighter jets in doubt. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government is considering purchasing just 16 of the planes rather than all 88.

Canada has signed a contract to purchase 88 F-35As in 2023 for C$19 billion (US$13 billion), with deliveries beginning in 2026 and the fleet expected to achieve full operational capability by 2034. Canada’s defense and strategic community has advised that a small F-35 fleet would be far more unsound both logistically and tactically, leading to pressure from certain departments to withdraw from the program altogether.

It is important to note that Canada has not yet made a final decision on the F-35. As we have seen with other allies with recurring relationships with the United States, Canada can maintain defense-commercial ties with Washington within a cooperative military alliance and still disagree on key foreign policy issues.

Other recent non-U.S. defense purchases

At the same time, Carney seriously expressed interest in the Saab Gripen. The push also came from the Swedish defense major itself, which characteristically promised significant local industrial and employment benefits. Key indicators include Gripen’s participation in the CANSEC 2026 exhibition last May and ruling Liberal Party lawmaker Sima Akan’s entry into the cockpit.

But Carney decided on another major capital weapon. This includes Saab’s GlobalEye AEW&C aircraft based on the Canadian Bombardier Global 6500, selected over the Boeing E-7A Wedgetail.

“Ottawa plans to spend more than $5 billion on six aircraft. By choosing the Saab/Bombardier proposal, the Carney government hopes to make Canada a hub for the Swedish manufacturer’s ‘airborne radar’ by allowing about 40 surveillance aircraft to be built on Canadian soil and sold to NATO members.” press It has been reported. NATO recently selected GlobalEye to replace its aging E-3 AWACS fleet.

Finally, Canada will soon acquire nine Airbus A330-200 tankers (four new and five used), designated CC-330 Husky, to replace the current CC-150 Polaris. The first CC-330 Husky acquired under the Strategic Tanker Transport Capability effort completed its first test flight in Spain on July 2, 2026.

Therefore, JSM is closely aligned with Canada’s newly established defense strategic relationship with regions other than the United States, such as Europe. The Saab Gripen acquisition is also unlikely to see integration issues with JSM, given the European origins of both platforms.

However, it remains to be seen whether the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) 70-75 CF-188A/B+ jets will be equipped with JSM after receiving diplomatic clearance and technical approval from original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Boeing.

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