The Norwegian government has ordered new NASAMS air defence systems from Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KONGSBERG), which will strengthen the country’s defence capabilities to combat aerial threats. The contract has a value of approximately NOK 1.4 billion, with expected deliveries in 2026-2027. The contract with the Norwegian Defence Material Agency includes new multi-missile canister launchers and new Fire Distribution Centers for NASAMS, replacing equipment previously donated to Ukraine. The delivery will provide Norway with the latest generation of NASAMS, developed to meet current and future threats.
“A state-of-the-art air defence system is strategically important for Norway’s defence capabilities and is vital for safeguarding our national security interests. Norway was the first NASAMS user, and we are pleased to extend the strong collaboration with this and forthcoming deliveries,” said Eirik Lie, President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.
“These are investments that secure the country. The war in Ukraine has shown how important air defence is, and before Christmas the Norwegian government was able to present a record order for air defence to the Norwegian Armed Forces. We have taken extraordinary measures to speed up the acquisition. The contract for the re-acquisition of donated material is the first step,” said Norway’s Defence Minister Bjørn Arild Gram.
“For us, it is important to support Ukraine with the necessary material, while at the same time we must ensure a well-armed Norway. This project has been completed in half the time of a normal project run thanks to good efforts from all parties, which I see as a positive development,” says Gro Jære, Director of the Norwegian Defence Material Agency.
NASAMS (Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, also known as the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System) is a distributed and networked short- to medium-range? ground-based air defense system developed by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KDA) and Raytheon. The system defends against unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), helicopters, cruise missiles, unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), and fixed wing aircraft,? firing any of a wide range of existing missiles. NASAMS was the first application of a surface-launched AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile). NASAMS 2 is an upgraded version of the system capable of using Link 16, which has been operational since 2007. As of 2022, NASAMS 3 is the latest upgrade.
NASAMS’ modularity and open architecture enable the continuous introduction of new technology and new capability, which ensures that the system can be adapted to new threats and missions throughout its lifetime. NASAMS is one of the most flexible solutions in the market and covers a wide range of air defence needs. KONGSBERG has invested in expanding its own production capacity, and at the same time strengthened ties with the many Norwegian and international suppliers that contribute to ensuring defence preparedness internationally. Deployed in 2019, it adds capability to fire AIM-9X Sidewinder, IRIS-T SLS and AMRAAM-ER missiles, and introduces mobile air-liftable launchers. NASAMS has proven interoperability with longer range systems such as Patriot.
