Norway and Germany have entered into an agreement to jointly purchase spare parts for the Patriot air defence system for donation to Ukraine. The Norwegian contribution amounts to just over one billion Norwegian kroner and is financed through the Nansen programme. The initiative was announced in connection with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre's visit to the security conference in Munich.
– This is very important for Ukraine to be able to continue defending itself against Russian attacks. An agreement to purchase spare parts together with Germany will ensure that the systems can be operational and in service for a greater portion of the time, says Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in a press release.
According to the government, Ukrainian authorities specifically requested support last winter to increase the operational availability of donated materiel. The new project therefore focuses on the procurement of spare parts to keep existing systems in operation.
– Contributing spare parts, maintenance, and follow-up of the donated materiel is a cost-effective way to provide military support to Ukraine. It is cheaper to purchase spare parts than, for example, a new Patriot system, and the effect is expected to be equivalent, says Defence Minister Tore O. Sandvik.
The cooperation builds on previous donations where the countries shared the cost of two complete Patriot systems, including missiles. Norway has previously contributed approximately seven billion Norwegian kroner to air defence, which has also included radars from the German manufacturer Hensoldt and systems from Kongsberg Gruppen (Norwegian defence and aerospace company).
The spare parts package is financed through the Nansen programme. For 2025, the framework for Norway's military support to Ukraine is set at 72.5 billion Norwegian kroner. In addition to the bilateral cooperation, the countries also contribute to the PURL financing arrangement for materiel from the USA.