As part of the Type 23 frigate modernization program, the Royal Navy has confirmed the first live firing of a Naval Strike Missile (NSM) from HMS Somerset (F-82). The test took place at the Andøya range in Norway during the multinational exercise Aegir 25, which also involved units from the Norwegian and Polish navies. This launch marks a decisive step in the Royal Navy’s transition to new anti-ship systems, while also strengthening cooperation with the Norwegian defense industry.
The Naval Strike Missile, produced by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, is a state-of-the-art system capable of striking both naval and land targets at ranges exceeding 100 miles. Weighing 400 kilograms and featuring a stealth design, it far outperforms the veteran Harpoon Block IC, which had equipped the Type 23 frigates and Type 45 destroyers for decades. Its introduction addresses the need to maintain anti-surface warfare capability while the ambitious Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon (FCASW) program is developed, expected to enter service toward the end of the decade alongside the new generation of frigates.
The UK decided to acquire NSMs in November 2022 under the Interim Surface-to-Surface Guided Weapon (I-SSGW) program, conceived as a stop-gap solution. The aim was to cover the capability gap left by the retirement of the Harpoon, ensuring surface combatants retain their offensive strike power in the coming years. Integration work, led by Babcock and BAE Systems with support from Kongsberg, includes the installation of launchers on Type 23 frigates and Type 45 destroyers.
So far, three Type 23 frigates have been fitted with the new weapon: HMS Somerset, HMS Portland (F-79), and HMS Richmond (F-239). The latter received its missile canisters in March 2025 at Haakonsvern Naval Base in Norway, ahead of its long-range deployment with the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales. With this modernization, the Royal Navy seeks to strengthen the offensive capabilities of its escorts for demanding operational theaters such as the Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific.
The integration of the NSM has not been without technical challenges. Adapting the launchers to platforms already decades old caused delays in testing and in reaching initial operational capability. Although HMS Somerset was fitted in December 2023, the first test firing only took place in 2025. Nevertheless, the successful launch demonstrates that the integration efforts have now reached the maturity required to ensure the system’s full operational effectiveness.
Images used for illustrative purposes.
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