Norway is investing around 1.5 billion euros in new armaments projects and the expansion of current projects. Plans include the procurement of 24 additional K9 self-propelled howitzers from South Korean manufacturer Hanwha Land Systems.
“We are in a serious security situation. We will therefore be asking Parliament to approve significant investments in various areas of the armed forces – in line with the objectives of last year’s long-term defense plan,” says Minister of Defense Tore O. Sandvik. “Overall, these are key investments in our common security and defense capability.”
Artillery for the Finnmark Brigade
A central project is the purchase of 24 additional K9 self-propelled howitzers, as mentioned at the beginning. These are to enable the creation of an artillery battalion within the planned Finnmark brigade. Norway had already previously procured 28 K9 systems and 14 K10 ammunition vehicles from South Korean manufacturer Hanwha Land Systems.
The K9 is an armored artillery system with a 155-millimetre cannon with a range of over 40 kilometers. The planned expansion will cost just under 500 million euros and will be carried out by exercising a contractually agreed purchase option.
“The additional procurement will significantly increase the army’s firepower and is an important step towards building a standing Finnmark brigade – as envisaged in the long-term plan,” says Sandvik.
Maritime mine defense is being strengthened
Massive investments are also to be made in maritime mine defense capabilities: The Norwegian parliament had already given the green light for a corresponding project in 2023. The project focuses on modular, unmanned and autonomous systems to replace the current minesweepers.
In view of the heightened security situation, the government is now planning to increase the project with an additional 330 million euros.
“We must ensure that the armed forces have the necessary resources to detect and neutralize underwater mines or explosive devices. This not only serves the free and safe navigation of our own and allied ships in Norwegian waters, but also the protection of critical underwater infrastructure,” explained the Minister of Defense.
The planned increase will bring the total budget for the mine action project to 750 million euros. As the Finnish company Patria announced that the delivery of new acoustic mine sweeping systems to the Royal Norwegian Navy was completed just a few days ago. The Norwegian Navy has been relying on Patria’s SONAC ACS mine sweeping systems since spring 2024.
New accommodation for staff in Ørland
The third major area of investment is Ørland Air Base. In order to further develop this as the main base of the Norwegian Air Force, accommodation for military personnel urgently needs to be created. The Norwegian government is therefore planning the construction of 250 new housing units – with an estimated investment sum of over 60 million euros for the period 2025 to 2029.
“Infrastructure in the defense sector has been neglected for many years. As a result, the accommodation and working conditions at many locations – including in Ørland – have been inadequate. If we want to attract sufficient personnel in the future, we must both clear the backlog and create new capacity,” concludes Sandvik.
