Norwegian Kongsberg to produce anti-Shahed missiles and USVs in Ukraine

This article first appeared on Defender Media and is republished here with permission.

Norwegian defence giant Kongsberg, renowned for producing the NASAMS air defence system and a wide range of other defence and aerospace technologies, is opening an office in Ukraine. The corporation has also signed partnership agreements with two Ukrainian companies — one to jointly produce cost-effective air defence missiles, and another to manufacture unmanned surface vessels.

On 22 June, during his visit to Ukraine, Kongsberg President Eirik Lie signed a memorandum of understanding with one of Ukraine’s defence manufacturers (whose name has not been disclosed). The two companies will jointly produce affordable air defence missiles designed to counter kamikaze drones. The development will be funded by the Norwegian government, according to Norway’s Minister of Defence, Tore O. Sandvik.

“There is an urgent need to produce cost-effective air defence missiles in large volumes to counter the threat of attack drones,” said Eirik Lie. He believes that the partnership with the Ukrainian manufacturer, combined with financial support from the Norwegian authorities, will make it possible to develop such a missile, manufacture it at scale, and integrate it into the NASAMS air defence system.

Lie also signed a separate memorandum of understanding with another Ukrainian company, which will manufacture unmanned surface vessels equipped with Kongsberg’s weapon stations. “Thanks to Kongsberg’s PROTECTOR weapon stations and the support of our Ukrainian partners, we are ready to deliver the next generation of unmanned maritime drones,” said the president of the Norwegian company.

Ukraine’s Minister of Defence, Rustem Umerov, also attended the opening of Kongsberg’s Ukrainian office. “Together, we will implement projects in the fields of interceptor production, strengthening air defence, and maritime security — all areas in which Kongsberg is a global leader,” the minister said.