- Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace received a $240.9 million Air Force contract to produce Joint Strike Missile Lot Two rounds.
- The firm-fixed-price, sole-source award covers missiles, containers, test hardware, and support items, with work running through November 2028.
Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has been awarded a $240.9 million contract for the second production lot of the Joint Strike Missile, expanding procurement of the long-range precision weapon used by U.S. and allied air forces, according to a contract award announcement.
According to the notice, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, based in Kongsberg, Norway, will produce Joint Strike Missile Lot Two rounds under a sole-source contract valued at $240,904,098. The award covers the purchase of all-up missile rounds along with containers, test hardware, and associated support items produced under the contract.
Work will be performed in Kongsberg, Norway, with production expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2028. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity. The contract identifier is FA8681-26-C-B002.
The Joint Strike Missile, manufactured by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, is a long-range, air-launched precision strike weapon designed to engage high-value land and maritime targets. It is optimized for internal carriage on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, allowing the aircraft to retain low observable characteristics while carrying a standoff weapon.
Funding for the contract comes from multiple fiscal years. Fiscal 2024 procurement missile funding in the amount of $137,970,866 and fiscal 2025 procurement missile funding totaling $102,933,232 are being obligated at the time of award, the notice said.
The Joint Strike Missile is derived from Kongsberg’s Naval Strike Missile but modified for air launch. It features a combination of inertial navigation, GPS guidance, terrain-following flight, and an imaging infrared seeker designed to improve target discrimination. The missile is intended to operate in contested environments where air defenses and electronic warfare systems are present.
The missile has been integrated with the F-35A and is being adopted by several countries operating the aircraft. The United States has pursued the weapon as part of broader efforts to expand long-range strike options for fifth-generation fighters without relying solely on larger or external munitions.
The Joint Strike Missile is expected to complement other U.S. Air Force and Navy strike weapons by providing a survivable option for penetrating defended airspace. When carried internally by the F-35, the missile allows aircraft to strike targets from extended ranges while reducing exposure to enemy air defenses.