Denmark is acquiring two types of long-range precision missiles to strengthen its defenses and bolster NATO’s collective deterrence: Kongsberg’s air-launched Joint Strike Missile (JSM) and Covenant’s ground-launched Anthem cruise missile.
The Dansih Ministry of Defence has not disclosed the quantities, costs, or delivery timelines. The planned acquisitions follow last week’s order for another batch of Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) from Kongsberg in a deal worth 400 million Norwegian kroner ($42.4 million).
According to the country’s defense procurement agency, the JSM will equip the Danish Air Force’s F-35 fighter jets. The missile can be carried inside the Lockheed Martin aircraft’s internal weapons bay, preserving the fighter’s low-observable characteristics.
Developed from the NSM, the JSM has a stated range of 350 kilometers (217 miles). It weighs 416 kilograms (917 pounds), including a 120-kilogram (265-pound) warhead, and measures 4 meters (13 feet) long and 48 centimeters (19 inches) in diameter.
Anthem Cruise Missile
Anthem has a reported range of 750 miles (1,207 kilometers) and can carry a payload weighing more than 200 kilograms (441 pounds).
Covenant unveiled Anthem in September after two years of development. The Washington, DC-based company aims to produce the missile at low cost and at scale, positioning it as a complement to Raytheon’s Tomahawk cruise missile and Lockheed Martin’s Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range. The US military has reportedly emerged as a potential customer.
To support large-scale production, Covenant has secured long-term agreements for more than 4,000 jet engines over two years. It has also lined up three solid rocket motor suppliers and is working to add a fourth to reduce supply chain dependence.
The company plans to manufacture Anthem in the US, Germany, and Israel. At full capacity, its Dallas and Saxony facilities are expected to produce 5,000 missiles annually each, while its northern Israeli site is expected to add another 2,000.