The Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency, Forsvarsmateriell (FMA), has handed over a new NASAMS IV battery to Luftforsvaret, the Norwegian Air Force. This was announced by FMA on 3 November. The handover was marked at Ørland Air Station (central Norway) in the presence of Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Four new NASAMS batteries have been ordered, with a combined cost framework of nearly seven billion Norwegian kroner.
"With the deliveries of new NASAMS batteries, we are taking important steps to strengthen Norway's air defence. We are replacing equipment that has been donated to Ukraine while also building up further capability in our own defence," says Gro Jære, Director of FMA.
According to the press release from FMA, two of the batteries replace air defence equipment that Norway donated to Ukraine in spring 2023, and they are funded through the Nansen Programme. The other two are part of the planned reinforcement of Norwegian air defence and are funded through the defence investment budget. The first contract was signed in January 2024.
NASAMS IV features modernised launch units and fire control centres, improved performance and greater flexibility in countering various threats. New vehicles and trailers also provide improved mobility. The battery was handed over to the 132nd Air Wing at Ørland, where a new building for the air defence batteries, battalion command and the Air Defence Tactical School was also inaugurated.
NASAMS IV has been developed through Norwegian-American industrial cooperation, with Kongsberg as the main supplier and the American company Raytheon as the missile supplier. The system was originally developed for Norwegian requirements and is now used by several countries.
FMA is simultaneously running several projects covering, among other things, new radars, missiles, electro-optical sensors and training systems. New command posts for NASAMS are planned to be delivered from late 2027 to 2029. According to FMA, the procurement of an additional four NASAMS batteries is also being planned.