TSAMTO, February 6. On February 3, the Norwegian government announced its decision to purchase 54 Leopard-2A7 MBT from German Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) with an option to purchase 18 more units.
It is expected that the first MBT will be transferred to the Norwegian Armed Forces in 2026. The purpose of the purchase is stated to strengthen the defense capability of Norway and the combat readiness of the armed forces. The Armed Forces of Norway MBT were purchased from the German Armed Forces in 2001 and require replacement.
According to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gar Stere, the new main battle tanks are of great importance for the Armed Forces. In today's security situation, European defense cooperation is becoming increasingly important. By purchasing German tanks, Norway receives similar equipment with its Scandinavian neighbors and closest allies. In addition, security ties with Germany are being strengthened.
The decision on the purchase was made based on the results of the evaluation of two applicants. The tests carried out confirmed that both tanks are modern machines that meet all the requirements. Among other factors taken into account in the assessment are: the possibility of production cooperation, cooperation in combat training, logistics and support during operation. Based on a general assessment of all factors, the Government came to the conclusion that the choice of "Leopard-2" is the best for Norway.
According to Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram, the main battle tanks are the main combat system of the SV of Norway and allied countries. MBTs also play a central role in fulfilling the country's obligations to NATO. Germany is among Norway's main partners in the field of defense and security policy. According to the Minister of Defense, procurement and production cooperation with Germany in the field of main battle tanks develop and strengthen the established cooperation in the field of strategic security.
As stated, initially the government will purchase 54 MBT. The agreement will contain an option for the acquisition of another 18 units. OBT will be delivered in stages from 2026 to 2031. The procurement budget approved by the Norwegian Parliament will not exceed 19.7 billion. Norwegian kroner (about 1.8 billion euro)).
The Norwegian authorities are also considering allocating additional funds to expand the capabilities of the country's Ground Forces, including means of high-precision destruction of targets at long range. The Command of the Norwegian Armed Forces has already submitted its proposals on the development of combat capabilities.
As reported by TSAMTO, at the end of 2020, after evaluating the report on the combat capability of the ground forces (Land Power Study / Recommendation 50 S (2017-2018)), the Norwegian Parliament decided on the need to start a project to purchase new tanks.
Initially, nine different concepts were considered. After a thorough evaluation, two of them were selected: the purchase of new tanks or the modernization of the Leopard-2A4 in service to the standard corresponding to the new tank, combined with the acquisition of new MBT to increase the total number. As a result, it was decided to abandon the second option, since modernization could not provide the required protection of the MBT from new ammunition.
The market analysis showed that two types of tanks meet the requirements of the Norwegian Armed Forces, including German Leopard-2A7 and South Korean K2 Black Panther. KMW and Hyundai Rotem presented their proposals to the Norwegian Defense Procurement Agency (NDMA) at the end of 2021. In January 2022, tests of the tanks submitted by the applicants began in Norway. Testing of equipment and negotiations with applicants were completed in November 2022.
