Germany to buy advanced cruise missiles for fighter jets from Norway
Germany plans to procure air-launched cruise missiles from Norway, the Norwegian Defence Ministry said on Thursday.
Berlin is seeking to acquire Joint Strike Missiles (JSM), with a contract expected to be signed by the end of June.
The German parliament approved the project on Wednesday, according to the Norwegian manufacturer Kongsberg.
The contract between the two NATO allies is valued at approximately 6.5 billion Norwegian kroner ($639 million).
The plan involves Norway procuring the missiles from Kongsberg on behalf of Germany.
The missiles are intended for use on the 35 F-35 fighter jets that Germany is acquiring from the United States.
Norwegian Defence Minister Tore Sandvik stated that the already close missile cooperation between Norway and Germany would become even more significant when F-35 jets from both countries are equipped with the cruise missiles.
According to Norwegian sources, Germany will become the fifth country, alongside Norway, Japan, Australia and the United States, to acquire the Joint Strike Missiles.
The new missiles are specifically developed for the F-35, capable of targeting and destroying well-defended sea and land targets over long distances with high precision.
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