German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall has announced that it was awarded a contract from Norway to deliver nearly 300 advanced TG3 MIL 8×8 military trucks.
The contract was signed in Oslo by Gro Jeare, director of the Norwegian Defense Materiel Agency (NDMA), and Michael Wittlinger, chairman of the board of management of Rheinmetall, and is worth over €150 million ($160 million).
In terms of sheer volume, this is the largest single order of trucks to date coming from Norway. The package is touted as enhancing the Norwegian military transport capacity and operational capabilities and features multiple vehicle variants, including hook loader trucks, special vehicles with crane and hook loader systems, as well as trailers and flatracks.
The latest call-off represents less than half of the necessary logistic vehicles covered by the framework contract, meaning that follow-up orders from Norway and other Scandinavian nations are likely.
Michael Wittlinger of the German arms giant boasting 25,000 workers stressed that "more and more NATO armed forces are opting for our TG and HX vehicles" and emphasized it as an "important step toward greater interoperability and resilience." Rheinmetall's military product portfolio comprises air defense systems, weapons and ammunition, armored tracked vehicles, and wheeled tactical vehicles. It is also known for making the main gun on the Leopard 2 tank.
The announcement comes as Norway is ramping up its defense allotments alongside its Nordic peers. In a fresh report, the country's chief of defense, Eirik Kristoffersen, asked to increase the military allocations by NOK 8 billion ($730 million) every year from 2025 to 2031, citing "an increased probability of a conflict involving Norway." According to Kristoffersen, the money should be invested in strengthening intelligence, the procurement of new helicopters and submarines, as well as creating new units, and strengthening the air warning chain.