Oslo's Ministry of Defence recently sent a team to the NDMA to begin the procurement process, under Investment Project 7628 Kampluftvern. In order to enhance the Army's air defense capability, the agency will now work with Kongsberg to define the final configuration before signing a contract.
"Providing protection from air attacks must be modular and flexible, and it should move quickly", said Defence Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide. "It will provide protection against threats from the air so that the Army can benefit from maximum operational freedom."
According to the manufacturer, the new system is built on existing elements combined with some new twists, including being able to integrate into modernized armored transport vehicles and fire-control and communication networks currently in use by the air force.
"NASAMS is a very important product for Kongsberg and one of the most successful internationally. We are very pleased to have been chosen as supplier," Kongsberg Defence Systems CEO Eirik Lie said in a statement, adding that the system will boost Norwegian air defence capability, and secure jobs for Kongsberg residents and subcontractors across the country.
The budget for the project is about $115 million and deliveries are planned for 2018 to 2021.
