Germany fires first Norwegian Naval Strike Missile from MARS 3 rocket launcher to reinforce coastal defense.

On July 2, 2025, KNDS Deutschland, Elbit Systems, and Kongsberg successfully conducted the first live-fire test of the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) from the MARS 3 rocket launcher, also known as EuroPULS, in Norway. The test used a single missile fired from an Iveco Trakker 8×8 wheeled platform and marked the first land-based launch of the NSM integrated into a multi-domain rocket artillery system in Europe.
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The Naval Strike Missile (NSM), originally developed by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, entered service in the early 2010s and is designed for both anti-ship and land-attack roles. (Picture source: KNDS Deutschland)

The purpose of this integration is to broaden MARS 3’s operational range by enabling maritime strike and coastal defense missions in addition to conventional land-attack roles. The demonstration confirms that the MARS 3 platform can incorporate effectors with a naval engagement capability, and underlines its compatibility with a wide variety of munitions from different manufacturers. The NSM used in the test was supplied by Kongsberg and included its booster stage, weighing 407 kg in total, and carrying a 125 kg penetrating blast-fragmentation warhead.

The MARS 3, previously known as EuroPULS, is the European configuration of the Israeli-developed PULS (Precise and Universal Launching System) designed by Elbit Systems. The system was introduced to the German market as a successor to the MARS II, which is the German designation for the M270 MLRS. In February 2025, Germany signed a €55 million contract for five launchers. MARS 3 is integrated onto an Iveco Trakker 8×8 chassis but remains platform-agnostic, with configurations also possible on Scania 8×8, Tatra 6×6, and BAE tracked vehicles. The launcher has a combat weight of less than 40 tonnes, an engine delivering 540 horsepower (397 kW), and a road speed of 90 km/h. The crew consists of two to three soldiers, and the vehicle’s protective systems are designed according to customer specifications. It has an effective firing range of up to 300 km, depending on the ammunition used, and the launcher is capable of firing 12 rockets in roughly 60 seconds. Its fire direction offers over 180° azimuth coverage, with support for three different firing directions.

The MARS 3 launcher features a modular and open architecture that includes a fire control system intentionally designed to be compatible with both current and future effectors from various manufacturers. The system is derived in part from the European Fire Control System used in the MARS II, and incorporates components from the RCH 155 self-propelled howitzer. This results in a standardized interface across several artillery systems, including MARS 3, RCH 155, and the Panzerhaubitze 2000. The launcher is not bound to a specific type of ammunition and is capable of firing a broad range of rockets and missiles, including Accular 122 mm (35 km), Accular 160 mm (40 km), EXTRA (150 km), Predator Hawk (300 km), SkyStriker loitering munitions, AT2 anti-tank mine barrages (150 km), and the NSM (over 250 km). Future integration is planned for the Joint Fire Support Missile (JFSM), with a reported range of up to 499 km. The launcher supports training rockets with ranges from 7 to 15 km. This ammunition flexibility allows MARS 3 to remain adaptable without creating logistical dependencies on a single supplier.

The Naval Strike Missile (NSM), originally developed by the Norwegian company Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, entered service in the early 2010s and is designed for both anti-ship and land-attack roles. The missile features GPS-aided INS navigation, TERCOM, a laser altimeter, and an imaging infrared (IIR) seeker, enabling autonomous target detection and discrimination. With a flight speed of Mach 0.93 and low radar observability, it is designed to evade air defenses using sea-skimming and terrain-following flight profiles. The standard range of the missile is over 185 km, while the Block 1A variant ordered by Germany exceeds 300 km. The missile can be launched from naval vessels, land-based platforms, and aircraft, and is in service with multiple countries, including the United States, Norway, Germany, Poland, Spain, Australia, and Canada. The U.S. Navy has designated the NSM as the RGM-184A, and it has been integrated into the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS), which mounts the missile on unmanned JLTV platforms.

The JFSM, developed by MBDA Germany, is a planned effector for MARS 3 with a projected range of up to 499 km. It weighs approximately 300 kg, including an 80 kg warhead, and is propelled by a booster and a turbojet engine. It uses GPS and image-based navigation, terrain contour matching, and supports time-over-target coordination. The missile is being developed under the Future Long-Range Indirect Fire System project for the Bundeswehr, and is based on the RC100 small remote carrier from the trinational Future Combat Air System. It is designed to offer a variety of configurations, including active strike, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and training. JFSM's low radar signature and terrain-following capability are intended to increase survivability in contested environments. Artificial intelligence is used for automatic target detection and discrimination, and the missile can reroute autonomously to avoid friendly or neutral forces.

The MARS 3 system builds upon the foundation of the Israeli PULS launcher, which was originally produced by Israel Military Industries and later updated by Elbit Systems after its acquisition. The PULS launcher has been adopted by countries such as Israel, Azerbaijan, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Kazakhstan, Rwanda, and Thailand. It can accommodate two ammunition pods per launcher, with configurations including 36 122 mm Grad or Accular rockets, 26 160 mm rockets, 8 EXTRA rockets, 4 Predator Hawk missiles, or 6 SkyStriker loitering munitions. The EuroPULS adaptation by KNDS Germany includes an ITAR-free Modular Fire Control System to simplify integration across various NATO and European platforms and avoid U.S. export control constraints. This has practical implications for procurement timelines, compliance requirements, and compatibility with domestic and export markets. MARS 3’s MFCS also ensures interoperability with multiple fire direction systems and enables integration into national or multinational command structures.

The NSM’s inclusion in MARS 3 aligns with Germany’s efforts to modernize its land-based deep-strike capabilities and replace aging M270 systems. The test firing demonstrates that cruise missiles can be launched from mobile land platforms with high survivability against countermeasures. The use of the 8×8 Iveco Trakker platform reduces additional logistical burdens by integrating the system onto in-service vehicle fleets. The combination of MARS 3 and NSM also reflects trends observed in other theaters such as Ukraine and the Red Sea, where mobile, land-based coastal defense systems using cruise missiles and loitering munitions have proven effective in contested environments. Future development of MARS 3 will focus on integrating additional effectors such as MBDA’s RCM², designed for use against ships, aircraft, and artillery systems, and ongoing cooperation with Diehl Defence to develop complementary deep-strike munitions. These integrations are intended to provide scalable firepower options across multiple domains without dependence on single-effect munitions or proprietary systems.