As Australia is close to initiating the tender for new coastal anti-ship missiles, Kongsberg and Lockheed Martin have put their offers on the table.
Naval News reported that Norwegian Kongsberg is offering its NSM anti-ship cruise missile with options of mounting on a Bushmaster 4x4 (Two missiles) or 8x8 platform (Four missiles). NSM with a range of 180 km incorporates an EO/IR seeker, low observability, and a 120 kg delayed fuse warhead.
Lockheed Martin is taking a different route with the offer of PrSM Increment 2 SRBM which will feature a multi-mode (IIR+Passive RF) seeker to engage moving land and sea targets. PrSM Increment 2 will have a range of 400+ km like the baseline PrSM developed to replace MGM-140 ATACMS TBMs.
Currently, Australia has already started using the NSM missiles on its Hobart-class AAW destroyers. NSM missiles' lower weight, hard-to-deceive EO/IR seeker and stealthy approach give the missile an edge against more sophisticated targets,
Australia will also acquire HIMARS MLRS, the launch platform of PrSM missiles. Moreover, Australia and the U.S. have agreed to cooperate on the PrSM missile's production and future variants.
Despite the high speed and long range, PrSM's non-stealthy characteristics and more predictable path of flight make it an easier target against ships with advanced air defence capabilities like destroyers.
To summarise, both options aren't alien to Australia in technical terms and have their strengths. However, considering the country's potential need for long-range effectors due to its geographical position and cooperation with the U.S.; PrSM still has a high chance.
