The US Navy has long sought to increase the firepower of its more numerous smaller ships, and the NSM, developed by Norway's Kongsberg fits the bill.
The missile is designed to challenge all types of enemy defenses, with a stealthy design that is hard for radars to detect and the ability to skim just feet above the ocean's surface.
"It can determine ships in a group of ships by ship class, locating the ship which is its designated target. It will attack only that target," Gary Holst, senior director for Naval Surface Warfare at Kongsberg, told Scout Warrior.
Not only does the NSM confuse and evade enemy defenses, it has an infrared imaging seeker to stay on target.