Norway Strikes $169 Million Naval Strike Missile Deal

The Royal Norwegian Navy signed two deals with Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace worth $169 million to purchase new naval strike missiles and to extend the life of the nation’s existing missile inventory.

A Kongsberg news release details the capabilities of the naval strike missile and its purported importance to Norway’s defense. The missiles are claimed to be the primary weapon used by the Royal Norwegian Navy’s fleet of frigates and corvettes, which comprise the bulk of their surface combatant vessels.

The fifth-generation missiles reportedly have a range of up to 115 miles, can elude enemy defense systems through evasive maneuvers and sea-skimming, and, according to the release, offer precision targeting against land or sea-based targets.

The missiles also have a built-in self-destruct mechanism which would come into play if it cannot locate its target - a safety designed to prevent collateral damage.

Norway has the second-longest coastline in the world, after Canada. The Scandinavian country’s economy and state revenue are tied to oil and natural gas exploitation. The industry is entirely comprised of offshore drilling in large maritime regions of the North Sea, as well as northward into the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea.