The US Department of State has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) worth $270m to Norway for the supply of 155mm High Explosive (HE) M795 projectiles and associated equipment.
According to the Department, Norway seeks to procure additional 155mm HE M795 projectiles, along with technical assistance, documentation, and engineering, technical, and logistics support services.
These items and services are set to be incorporated into an existing defence case between the two countries, which previously fell below formal congressional notification thresholds and was valued at $99.99m.
The new request underlines Norway’s ongoing efforts to reinforce its artillery capabilities, with the US describing the sale as supportive of its foreign policy and national security interests.
“The proposed sale will improve Norway’s capability to meet current and future threats and increase its interoperability with the US and other allied forces,” the State Department stated.
Norway is expected to integrate the new equipment into its armed forces without significant difficulty, with no requirement for the deployment of additional US government or contractor personnel in-country, according to official information.
The principal contractors for the projectiles and related services are American Ordnance and General Dynamics.
While Norway typically negotiates industrial offsets for such procurements, the US government noted that no offset agreements have yet been concluded relating to this case, with any such arrangements to be finalised directly between Norwegian authorities and the suppliers.
US officials emphasised that the proposed sale will not alter the basic military balance in the region or affect US defence readiness.
The announcement comes amid a period of increased defence spending by Norway.
In March, Norwegian authorities pledged a further Nkr115bn ($12bn) in military funding by 2036, aiming to meet Nato commitments of 3.5% of GDP by 2035, not including separate support for Ukraine.
Last July, the State Department sanctioned a potential $2.6bn FMS of HH-60W Jolly Green II combat search and rescue helicopters and accompanying gear to Norway.
