The Joint Strike Missile is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of fifth-generation airpower. Earlier this month, the United States Air Force reinforced its confidence in the weapon by awarding Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace a US$241 million contract for additional AGM-184 Joint Strike Missiles and related support equipment. Washington’s decision to seamlessly integrate the JSM into its force structure has established a powerful precedent—one that Ottawa should closely emulate as Canada acquires its own F-35 fleet and seeks to secure a future-proof air combat capability. Purpose-built for internal carriage within the F-35, the Norwegian-developed stand-off missile preserves the aircraft’s stealth characteristics while providing long-range precision-strike capability against both maritime and land targets in contested environments. These attributes make the JSM a highly survivable and versatile munition that could become a foundational pillar of Canada’s future air combat force.

A Weapon Tailored for Fifth-Generation Warfare

The strongest argument for Canadian acquisition lies in the missile’s purpose-built integration with the F-35. Unlike many stand-off weapons adapted for fifth-generation aircraft after their development, the JSM was specifically engineered to fit within the F-35’s internal weapons bay. This distinction is critical. This allows the aircraft to retain its low-observable characteristics while carrying a long-range precision-strike capability. 

In an era defined by the proliferation of sophisticated anti-access and area-denial networks, that combination of stealth and stand-off reach is becoming increasingly valuable. For the Royal Canadian Air Force, the benefits are particularly clear. Canada’s future F-35 fleet will deliver major advances in sensor fusion, situational awareness, and survivability, but the effectiveness of any combat aircraft ultimately depends on the weapons it carries. By equipping its F-35s with the JSM, Canada would enable the aircraft to fully exploit its stealth advantages while engaging both maritime and land targets at extended ranges. Rather than forcing pilots to operate closer to hostile air-defence systems, the missile would allow them to strike from safer distances while remaining difficult to detect.

Advanced Capabilities and Operational Flexibility

Beyond its compatibility with the F-35, the JSM’s technical characteristics further strengthen the case for acquisition. Developed by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace from the proven Naval Strike Missile design, the JSM is a fifth-generation precision-guided stand-off weapon weighing approximately 416 kilograms and measuring four metres in length. It carries a 125-kilogram high-explosive fragmentation warhead and can strike targets at ranges exceeding 350 kilometres while travelling at high subsonic speed.

The missile’s true value, however, lies in its advanced guidance and survivability features. Advanced composite materials and low-observable design features reduce its radar signature, while an imaging infrared seeker enables precise target discrimination in complex environments. Along its flight path, sophisticated navigation systems support terrain-following flight profiles, allowing the missile to approach targets along unpredictable routes while remaining difficult to detect and intercept. The JSM also features a two-way data link compatible with Link 16 networks, enabling in-flight target updates, re-targeting, mission abort functions, and battle damage assessment. Together, these capabilities would provide Canada with a highly adaptable munition capable of operating effectively against both maritime and land-based targets in heavily contested environments.

Strengthening Canada’s Maritime and Arctic Posture

The missile’s versatility is particularly relevant to Canada’s geography and evolving security requirements. Possessing the world’s longest coastline, Canada faces growing strategic challenges across the Arctic, North Atlantic, and Pacific regions. In this context, the ability to project precision strike power over long distances is becoming increasingly important.

With its robust anti-ship capability, the JSM would provide the Royal Canadian Air Force with a credible long-range maritime strike option, enabling F-35s to contribute directly to sea-control and sea-denial operations. This would complement the capabilities of the Royal Canadian Navy while providing military commanders and policymakers with additional response options during periods of crisis.

More importantly, though, from a broader strategic perspective, the missile’s value extends well beyond maritime operations. As Russia continues to strengthen anti-access and area-denial capabilities across the High North, the ability to hold high-value maritime and land targets at risk without exposing aircraft to dense air-defence networks becomes increasingly important. This combination of stealth and stand-off reach offered by the F-35 and JSM is precisely the type of capability modern air forces are seeking to field.

Expanding Capability Through Uncrewed Systems

The JSM’s relevance to Canada may, however, ultimately extend beyond the F-35 fleet. General Atomics recently announced plans to integrate the Joint Strike Missile onto both MQ-9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian remotely piloted aircraft systems. To accommodate long-range stand-off weapons, the company has already begun adapting the aircraft’s payload, mission systems, stability, and range characteristics, with flight testing expected to begin as early as 2026. This development is particularly noteworthy given Ottawa’s acquisition of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian under the Remotely Piloted Aircraft System project.

For Canada, a common JSM inventory shared between F-35s and MQ-9Bs could significantly enhance long-range surveillance and strike capabilities across the Nation’s northern and maritime approaches. The SkyGuardian’s endurance also allows it to remain on station for extended periods while operating well outside hostile engagement zones. Armed with JSMs, these aircraft could evolve beyond traditional intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance roles into credible precision-strike platforms capable of supporting Arctic sovereignty operations, maritime security missions, and coalition deployments abroad.

Such a capability would provide Canada with a more flexible and resilient force structure. Rather than committing scarce fighter aircraft to every long-range strike mission, Ottawa could employ MQ-9B SkyGuardians to maintain persistent presence over key areas of interest while retaining the ability to conduct precision attacks against high-value maritime or land targets when required.

Allied Interoperability and Strategic Relevance

That said, operational capability is only part of the equation. Interoperability is just as important. The United States, Norway, Australia, Germany, and Japan have all selected the Joint Strike Missile for their F-35 fleets, creating a growing community of operators built around a common fifth-generation strike weapon. By joining that group, Canada would strengthen interoperability with key allies while benefiting from shared training opportunities, logistics networks, and operational experience.

At the same time, broader developments within NATO and the Indo-Pacific continue to reinforce the importance of long-range stand-off weapons. Allied defence planners increasingly view the combination of stealth aircraft and precision-guided munitions as essential for operating in environments saturated with advanced sensors, surface-to-air missiles, and electronic warfare systems. The U.S. Air Force’s expanding investment in the JSM reflects this reality and highlights the missile’s growing importance within future high-intensity conflict scenarios.

21st Century Airpower For Canada

As a result, the ultimate question facing Canada is not whether the F-35 requires advanced stand-off weapons—it unquestionably does—but whether Ottawa intends to fully maximize the combat potential of its future fighter fleet.

By following the United States and several key allies in procuring the Joint Strike Missile, Canada would gain a highly survivable, multi-role precision-strike capability specifically designed for fifth-generation operations. The missile’s combination of internal carriage, long-range reach, maritime and land-attack capability, and growing allied adoption makes it exceptionally well suited to Canada’s operational requirements. Moreover, future integration across both F-35 and MQ-9B fleets could provide a common strike capability spanning crewed and uncrewed platforms, further enhancing operational flexibility and force projection.

As Canada prepares for the next phase of F-35 integration, few investments offer a clearer opportunity to maximize the aircraft’s potential. The United States has already demonstrated its confidence in the Joint Strike Missile. Ottawa would be wise to follow its lead.