Norway boosts air defence with $400m missile upgrade
The Norwegian government has allocated over 400 million kroner for new AMRAAM C-8 anti-aircraft missiles, which will be supplied by one of the local manufacturers. These will be purchased for the NASAMS air defence systems already used by the Norwegian army.
Norway's Defence Minister, Bjorn Arild Gram, announced the decision to purchase ammunition for the NASAMS systems (Norwegian Advanced Surface to Air Missile System).
Gram informed the NTB agency that this ranks among the largest individual arms acquisitions in the Norwegian Armed Forces' history.
Modern AMRAAM C-8 anti-aircraft missiles
Modern weaponry in the form of AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) C-8 missiles can be used both from ground launchers and from F-35 aircraft, which are part of the Norwegian Air Force's equipment. Norway is one of the few countries that can boast the latest version of NASAMS, the NASAMS-3, produced since 2019. It is a system that allows neutralization of air targets at distances up to about 60 kilometres.
NASAMS's main advantages include its high efficiency and flexibility, which allow for the relatively easy addition of a new missile or radar. The Kongsberg group has already ensured the integration of this system with several dozen different radars.
Wide application of NASAMS systems
NASAMS systems are used by numerous armies worldwide, including in Australia, Lithuania, Hungary, Finland, and Norway. In the United States, they protect vital state objects such as the White House. Several such systems have also been sent to Ukraine, where they have proven highly effective in combating hostile targets.
The Norwegian company Kongsberg, a European leading arms supplier, manufactures NASAMS systems.
