WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 (UPI) — Australia has signed an agreement with Norway to contribute to the development of the Joint Strike Missile for F-35 fighters.
Under the agreement, Australia will finance the development of an RF-seeking capability for the JSM, which is developed by Norwegian defense company Kongsberg Defence Systems (KDA). The seeker under development is based on “imaging infra red” technology, allowing the missile to use heat signature to identify a target.
Under the agreement, the Australian government will contract BAE Australia to integrate the RF-seeking capability, which will allow the missile to locate target based on electronic signature.
Should Australia ultimately decide to procure the JSM, it would share with Norway the cost of integrating the JSM on the F-35.
The agreement follows an earlier visit to Australia by Norwegian State Secretary of Defense Øystein Bø, and the two countries agreed to work together on the JSM.
Negotiations began in February 2015. The governments hope to introduce KDA’s maritime Joint Strike Missile by 2020. Both countries are procuring the F-35 fighters, developed by Lockheed Martin.
The JSM can be carried internally and externally on the F-35’s bomb bay. The missile system is designed for both Anti Surface Warfare and Naval Fire Support missions in open sea, over land, and littoral combat. It is designed primarily for being deployed from fixed-wing aircraft platforms, however Kongsberg says research for integration with other platforms is underway.
Norwegian Defense Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide on Tuesday is expected to participate in the formal roll-out of the first Norwegian F-35, along with the Norwegian Chief of Defense, Admiral Haakon Bruun-Hanssen and Frank Kendall, U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisitions, Technology and Logistics.
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