Canada has awarded Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace a contract worth approximately 800 million Canadian dollars (US$564 million) to supply Joint Strike Missiles (JSMs) for its future fleet of F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft.
Kongsberg initially announced the agreement on June 30, while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney officially confirmed the acquisition during the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey.
The JSM purchase formed part of a broader package of defence initiatives unveiled at the summit, including investments in Arctic military satellite communications and a new procurement strategy for Light Utility Vehicles.
With this acquisition, Canada becomes the sixth customer for the Joint Strike Missile, joining Norway, Japan, Australia, the United States, and Germany.
The procurement complements Canada’s 2023 contract worth 19 billion Canadian dollars (US$13 billion) for 88 F-35A fighter jets. Aircraft deliveries began in 2026, with the fleet expected to achieve full operational capability by 2034.
About the Joint Strike Missile
Developed by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, the Joint Strike Missile (JSM) is a long-range, precision-guided cruise missile designed to engage both land and maritime targets from advanced fighter aircraft.
Derived from the company’s Naval Strike Missile (NSM), the JSM was specifically modified for integration with modern combat aircraft, particularly the F-35 Lightning II.
Measuring approximately 4 meters (13 feet) in length, the missile is compact enough to fit inside the F-35’s internal weapons bay, allowing the aircraft to retain its low-observable stealth profile during combat missions.
The missile weighs around 416 kilograms (917 pounds), carries a 118-kilogram (260-pound) high-explosive warhead, and offers an operational range of up to 350 kilometers (217 miles) while flying at high subsonic speeds.
Its advanced guidance suite combines an inertial navigation system (INS), terrain-reference navigation, an imaging infrared (IIR) seeker, and a two-way data link, providing high precision and the ability to engage heavily defended targets in complex operational environments.
