As part of the process to upgrade its anti-surface warfare capabilities, the Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Richmond (F-239) has recently received the new Kongsberg NSM anti-ship missiles. The vessel was spotted at the Haakonsvern Naval Base in Bergen, Norway, where it received the missile containers directly from the Norwegian company’s factory. It is the third ship of its class to be equipped with this weapon system, following HMS Somerset (F-82) and HMS Portland (F-79).
HMS Richmond will soon be part of the long-range deployment of the HMS Prince of Wales (R09) carrier strike group, which is scheduled to depart in April. Over eight months, the group will operate in the Mediterranean and later in the Indo-Pacific region. The Type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless (D-33) will also take part in the mission. Although these units are also planned to receive NSM missiles, none of the destroyers have received them so far.
The adoption of the NSM responds to the need to enhance the anti-surface capabilities of the Type 23 frigates. This missile is designed to operate in complex littoral environments, excelling in its ability to distinguish between friendly, neutral, and hostile targets. It is highly effective against small-sized targets and, in a secondary role, can strike land-based objectives. Within the Royal Navy, the system has been officially designated as the Maritime Offensive Strike System (MOSS).
The missile integration program has faced delays. HMS Somerset was the first to receive them in December 2023, but no live-fire tests have been recorded on either this vessel or HMS Portland, despite the declaration of Initial Operational Capability (IOC). These delays are due to the complexity of integrating the system into platforms that have been in service for decades.
The Royal Navy’s selection of the NSM dates back to 2022 under the Interim Surface-Surface Guided Weapon (I-SSGW) program. This plan includes the installation and integration of the missile launch system in a configuration similar to that of the Harpoon Block IC anti-ship missiles, positioned on the bow of eleven Type 23 frigates.
Image credits: @TomLeachPhotos via X.
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