Norwegian defense company KONGSBERG said its Naval Strike Missile (NSM) has become the primary naval strike weapon for the Romanian Navy as the country advances its coastal defense modernization program.
The system was highlighted during the Black Sea Defence & Aerospace (BSDA) 2026 exhibition in Romania, where defense companies and military delegations gathered to discuss regional security requirements and modernization programs.
In an interview with Defensehere on the sidelines of BSDA 2026, Stein Engen, regional sales director at KONGSBERG, said Romania’s adoption of the NSM marks a significant step in upgrading its naval strike capabilities.
“This is now the new main weapon for the Romanian Navy,” Engen said.
The NSM is a fifth-generation anti-ship missile developed by KONGSBERG and in service with several NATO countries. The system is designed for multi-domain operations, capable of engaging both maritime and land-based targets.
According to KONGSBERG, the missile has a range of more than 300 kilometers and is compatible with multiple launch platforms, including ships, coastal mobile launchers and aircraft when integrated in its air-launched variant, the Joint Strike Missile (JSM).
Engen said the system has seen growing adoption across NATO forces and has become a key element of modern naval deterrence.
The NSM features a passive seeker and autonomous target recognition capabilities designed to improve survivability against modern air defense systems. Its sea-skimming flight profile and maneuvering capabilities are intended to reduce detectability and increase effectiveness against defended targets.
The air-launched Joint Strike Missile builds on the same technology base, incorporating an imaging infrared seeker and advanced mission planning systems for operations against maritime and land targets.
The JSM has a reported range of more than 350 kilometers and is designed for integration on modern fighter aircraft platforms.
Engen said KONGSBERG has maintained a presence in the Romanian defense market for several years and has expanded its activities over the past six to seven years through modern missile programs.
He added that the selection of NSM as a core capability for the Romanian Navy represents an important milestone in the company’s regional partnerships and NATO-wide modernization efforts.