Kongsberg breaks ground on US missile production facility
The Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace facility for precision strike missiles was announced in September 2024 and is expected to create over 180 jobs in the James City County area, Virginia.
Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace held a groundbreaking ceremony for its first state-of-the-art US-based missile production facility in James City County, Virginia.
This facility, located in Toano, Virginia, between Richmond and Williamsburg, will help the company meet global demand for its precision strike missiles, Kongsberg said.
“This new Kongsberg factory will provide additional production capacity, sustainment and in-country tech refresh capabilities for our Naval Strike Missile (NSM) and Joint Strike Missile (JSM) — both highly advanced, fifth generation cruise missiles capable of both maritime strike and land attack,” said Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace (Norway) President Eirik Lie.
The United States Navy awarded Kongsberg a multi-year procurement contract for NSM in 2024 for the Navy’s Over-the-Horizon Weapon System, as well as the Marine Corps’ NMESIS (Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System). The United States Air Force selected the JSM in 2024 for use on the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter.
“We are proud to invest in defense manufacturing in the United States and excited to onshore our world-class capabilities in James City County, VA,” said Heather Armentrout, President and General Manager, Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace, Inc. “The state of Virginia, including the Virginia Economic Development Partnership and the Hampton Roads Alliance, have been integral in this process and we look forward to growing our presence in the US as we ramp up hiring.”
The Kongsberg facility was announced in September 2024 and is expected to create over 180 jobs in the James City County area. It will inject over USD 100 million in economic benefits, as well as create opportunities for local suppliers to support the production and manufacturing of these weapons, the company said.
Preparatory site work has commenced with construction expected to begin by Q2 2026. Missile manufacturing will begin in late 2027, ramping up to full rate production by the end of 2028.