The US Department of State has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Government of Norway covering 155 mm High Explosive (HE) M795 projectiles and associated technical support, valued at an estimated USD270 million. Transmitted by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) for congressional notification, the procurement represents a major expansion of a previously implemented FMS case that was originally valued at USD99.99 million. The augmented package encompasses additional M795 HE rounds alongside comprehensive logistical and technical elements, including US Government and contractor engineering assistance, technical documentation, and program support services. Intended to support Washington’s national security and foreign policy aims by bolstering a strategic NATO ally, the acquisition is designed to enhance the artillery capabilities and mid-range strike capacity of the Norwegian Armed Forces while maintaining regional operational stability.
Serving as the standard 155 mm high-explosive bursting round for US Army and US Marine Corps howitzers, the M795 offers significant performance upgrades over the legacy M107 shell. Engineered for enhanced lethal effect, the projectile employs a high-fragmentation HF1 steel body containing a 10.8 kg explosive payload of either TNT or insensitive IMX-101 propellant. A key technical feature is its welded rotating band, which replaces the swaged rotating band used on the M107, enabling compatibility with higher-zone propelling charges such as the M119 and M203 series across standard 39-caliber barrel configurations. This improvement yields a 30% increase in lethality against enemy personnel and materiel, while extending maximum engagement ranges by 6 km to an effective reach of 22.5 km with a circular error probable (CEP) of 139 m.
The operational integration of these 46.7 kg munitions will directly reinforce Norway’s land domain readiness and enhance joint force interoperability alongside US and allied contingents. Ballistically similar to the M483A1 dual-purpose improved conventional munition (DPICM) family, the M795 can additionally serve as a registration round for cargo projectiles across all standard NATO 155 mm artillery platforms. US defense officials confirmed that Oslo will face no administrative or logistical impediments in absorbing the new munitions into its existing artillery force structure. Furthermore, the transaction involves no requirement for additional permanent US Government or defense contractor personnel to be deployed to Norway, allowing for immediate integration within existing national maintenance and logistics channels.
Industrial execution of the procurement will be led by American Ordnance, operating out of its Middletown, Iowa facilities, and General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, based in Camden, Arkansas. While foreign military purchasers frequently seek offset agreements to facilitate domestic industrial participation, defense officials indicated that no offset terms have been established for the current case modification. Any potential offset arrangements, if requested by Oslo, will be finalized through subsequent bilateral negotiations between the purchaser and the designated prime contractors.
