Norway's Kongsberg Acquires US Missile Startup Zone 5 Technologies
Norway's Kongsberg Gruppen acquired a 90% stake in California-based Zone 5 Technologies, a missile startup specializing in affordable, mass-producible munitions like the Rusty Dagger strike missile and White Spike air defense missile. The deal, approved by U.S. regulators, aims to address NATO's need for high-volume production in modern conflicts. Zone 5, which holds U.S. Air Force contracts and has supplied missiles to Ukraine, will operate as an independent subsidiary. Kongsberg plans to combine its high-end weapons with Zone 5's scalable designs.
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Kongsberg Bets On High-Low Cruise Missile Mix With JSM And Rusty Dagger
Norwegian missile manufacturer Kongsberg has finalized its acquisition of a 90% stake in U.S. startup Zone 5 Technologies, bringing the low-cost Rusty Dagger cruise missile under its portfolio. The Rusty Dagger, already supplied to Ukraine, is now cleared for use on four fighter types including the F-16. Kongsberg plans to pair the affordable Rusty Dagger with its more expensive, stealthy Joint Strike Missile (JSM) in a tiered standoff strike approach. The Rusty Dagger can be launched from fighter pylons, cargo aircraft pallets, or surface platforms. Zone 5 officials highlighted potential AI-enabled cooperative behaviors between the two missile types to enhance survivability and effectiveness against defended targets. The acquisition reflects a strategy to combine Kongsberg's high-end capabilities with Zone 5's cost-efficient, mass-producible designs.
The War ZoneKongsberg Bets On High-Low Cruise Missile Mix With JSM And Rusty Dagger
Norwegian missile-maker Kongsberg has finalized its acquisition of a 90% stake in U.S. startup Zone 5 Technologies, bringing the low-cost Rusty Dagger cruise missile into its portfolio alongside the more advanced Joint Strike Missile (JSM). At the ILA Berlin airshow, officials outlined a tiered strike strategy combining the cost-effective Rusty Dagger with the stealthy, high-end JSM to overwhelm enemy defenses. The Rusty Dagger, already supplied to Ukraine, is now cleared for use on four fighter types including the F-16, and can be launched from fighters, cargo aircraft pallets, or surface platforms. Kongsberg executives emphasized that the acquisition provides faster access to affordable mass-producible missiles, complementing their existing exquisite technologies.
The War ZoneKongsberg Bets On High-Low Cruise Missile Mix With JSM And Rusty Dagger
Norwegian missile manufacturer Kongsberg has finalized its acquisition of a 90% stake in U.S. startup Zone 5 Technologies, bringing the low-cost Rusty Dagger cruise missile into its portfolio alongside the advanced Joint Strike Missile (JSM). The Rusty Dagger, already supplied to Ukraine, is now cleared for use on four fighter types including the F-16. The company plans a tiered strike approach: Rusty Dagger for cost-effective standoff attacks and JSM for heavily defended targets. The missile can be launched from fighters, cargo aircraft pallets, or surface platforms. Zone 5 will operate as an independent subsidiary. The acquisition aims to combine Kongsberg's high-end technology with Zone 5's cost-efficient mass production capabilities.
The War ZoneKongsberg Completes Acquisition of US Missile Firm Zone 5 Technologies
Norway's Kongsberg Gruppen has finalized its acquisition of a 90% stake in US missile company Zone 5 Technologies, following approval from US regulatory authorities. The California-based firm, which designs and manufactures affordable mass munitions including the 'Rusty Dagger' long-range strike missile and the 'White Spike' air defence missile, will continue operating as an independent subsidiary under its founder Thomas Akers and existing management. Financial terms were not disclosed. Kongsberg CEO Eirik Lie stated that recent conflicts highlight the need for high-volume defence capabilities, and that Zone 5 adds scalable, affordable missile production to Kongsberg's portfolio. Zone 5 has previously won contracts tied to US programs such as the Air Force's AGM-188 Family of Affordable Mass Missiles (FAMM) and the ERAM initiative. Kongsberg plans to support Zone 5's production scale-up and international market entry, aiming to integrate its missiles with existing systems. The acquisition aligns with Kongsberg's goal of reaching Nkr100bn ($10bn) in annual revenue by 2029.
Airforce TechnologyKongsberg Completes Acquisition of US Missile Firm Zone 5 Technologies
Norway's Kongsberg Gruppen has finalized its acquisition of a 90% stake in US missile company Zone 5 Technologies, following approval from US regulatory authorities. Zone 5, based in California, specializes in designing and manufacturing affordable, mass-producible missiles and interceptors, including the 'Rusty Dagger' long-range strike missile and the 'White Spike' air defence missile. The company will continue to operate as an independent subsidiary, with founder Thomas Akers and existing management retaining an ownership share. Financial terms were not disclosed. Kongsberg CEO Eirik Lie stated that recent conflicts highlight the need for high-volume defence capabilities, and that Zone 5 adds scalable, affordable missile production to Kongsberg's portfolio. Zone 5 has previously won US contracts including the Air Force's AGM-188 FAMM program and the ERAM initiative. Kongsberg plans to support Zone 5's production scale-up and international market entry, aiming to integrate its missiles with existing Kongsberg systems. The acquisition aligns with Kongsberg's goal to reach Nkr100bn ($10bn) in annual revenue by 2029.
Airforce TechnologyKongsberg Completes Acquisition of US Missile Firm Zone 5 Technologies
Norway's Kongsberg Gruppen has finalized its acquisition of a 90% stake in US missile company Zone 5 Technologies, following approval from US regulatory authorities. Zone 5, based in California, specializes in designing and manufacturing affordable, mass-producible missiles and interceptors, including the 'Rusty Dagger' long-range strike missile and the 'White Spike' air defence missile. The company's founder and CEO Thomas Akers, along with existing management, will retain an ownership share. Zone 5 will continue operating as an independent subsidiary. Financial terms were not disclosed. Kongsberg CEO Eirik Lie emphasized the growing demand for high-volume defence capabilities, particularly in Europe. The acquisition adds scalable manufacturing capacity to Kongsberg's portfolio in air defence and strike systems. Zone 5 has previously won US contracts including the Air Force's AGM-188 FAMM program and the ERAM initiative. Kongsberg plans to support Zone 5's production scale-up and international market entry, aiming to integrate its missiles with existing systems. Kongsberg recently set a revenue target of Nkr100bn ($10bn) by 2029.
Airforce TechnologyNorway's KONGSBERG Acquires U.S. Missile Startup Zone 5 Technologies
Norway's largest defense company, KONGSBERG Gruppen, has completed the acquisition of a 90% stake in California-based Zone 5 Technologies, a missile startup specializing in mass-producible interceptors and strike weapons. The deal, approved by U.S. regulators, brings Zone 5's affordable, high-volume missiles—including the Rusty Dagger strike missile and White Spike air defense missile—into the European defense industrial base. Zone 5 holds contracts under the U.S. Air Force's AGM-188 FAMM program and has supplied its ERAM missiles to Ukraine, providing real-world combat validation. KONGSBERG aims to combine its high-end precision weapons with Zone 5's scalable, low-cost munitions to address NATO's need for mass production in modern high-intensity conflict. Zone 5 will operate as an independent subsidiary led by founder Thomas Akers.
The Defence Blog – Military and Defense NewsNorway's KONGSBERG Acquires US Missile Startup Zone 5 Technologies
Norway's largest defense company, KONGSBERG Gruppen, announced on June 10, 2026, the acquisition of a 90% stake in California-based Zone 5 Technologies, a missile startup specializing in mass-producible interceptors and strike weapons. The deal, approved by U.S. regulators, brings Zone 5's affordable, high-volume missiles—including the Rusty Dagger strike missile and White Spike air defense missile—into the European defense industrial base. Zone 5 holds U.S. Air Force contracts under the AGM-188 FAMM program and has supplied ERAM missiles to Ukraine, providing combat validation. KONGSBERG aims to combine its high-end precision weapons with Zone 5's scalable, cost-effective munitions to address NATO's production capacity gaps highlighted by modern high-intensity conflict. Zone 5 will continue as an independent subsidiary led by founder Thomas Akers.
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