On April 20, 2022, the Norwegian Ministry of Defense announced that it had sent portable French-made MBDA Mistral anti-aircraft missile systems to the Government of Ukraine as military assistance from the storage of the Norwegian armed forces. It is stated that about 100 missiles and a "small number" of Mistral launchers have been sent, which "have already been taken out of Norway."
Shipboard double-shot SIMBAD support launcher of the French portable anti-aircraft missile system MBDA Misral on the Norwegian Navy ship (c) Norwegian Ministry of Defense
Norway acquired Mistral anti-aircraft missile systems in France under a 1990 contract for arming missile boats and minesweeping ships of the Norwegian Navy. In total, from 1992 to 1997, Norway received 400 Mistral anti-aircraft guided missiles under this contract, along with shipboard SIMBAD dual-charge support launchers and regular "land" single-charge support launchers. These complexes are currently in service with Skjold-type missile boats and Alta and Oksøy-type minesweeping ships of the Norwegian Navy, however, in the next few years, due to the expiration of the assigned service life (apparently 30 years with all extensions), all Mistral missiles in Norway were planned to be decommissioned. The Norwegian Ministry of Defense stated that "this is still a modern and effective weapon that will bring great benefits to Ukraine."
Also, the Norwegian Ministry of Defense reported that Norway had previously transferred 4,000 anti-tank weapons to Ukraine (apparently, one-time RPG M72 EC LAW is meant ).
Norway has not become the first supplier of French Mistral MANPADS to Ukraine. Earlier, since the end of February, it was repeatedly reported that the Mistral MANPADS were included in the package of French military assistance to Ukraine. However, there is very little actual information about French military supplies to Ukraine, and so far, as can be judged, Mistral complexes have not been seen in Ukraine. A few days ago, however, in a number of unofficial online publications it was reported that the Mistral MANPADS received by the Ukrainian Navy from France (and the Polish Piorun MANPADS received from Poland) were delivered to Odessa for placement on the surviving boats and vessels of the Ukrainian Navy. The credibility of these reports is unclear.
Regular land support single-shot launcher of the French portable anti-aircraft missile system MBDA Misral of the Norwegian Navy, June 2018 (from) via andrej-kraft.livejournal.com
