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Norway has selected South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace to supply the army with long-range precision artillery in a deal valued at about $2 billion, choosing the Chunmoo multiple-launch rocket system over competing offers from European and U.S. suppliers.

The Norwegian government said the deal includes 16 launch systems along with an unspecified larger number of missiles, including munitions with ranges of up to 500 kilometers, according to the official statement.

While the total scale of Norway’s acquisition project is around $2 billion (19 billion Norwegian kroner), the agreement for the Chunmoo system is valued at approximately $922 million.

The government added that the Chunmoo system was selected after a competitive process in which authorities concluded that no other bidder could deliver a comparable range within the required timeframe and cost framework.

The decision comes as European countries move to strengthen long-range strike capabilities in response to lessons from the war in Ukraine, where Russia has relied heavily on massed missile and drone attacks against military and civilian targets.

Focus on Long-Range Deterrence

European governments have increasingly emphasized the need to strike enemy launchers and logistics hubs at long distances to protect both troops and civilians. Norway’s defense authorities said the acquisition reflects a broader shift in European military planning.

Denmark said in September that it required deep-strike capabilities for deterrence purposes. Germany in July sought information on the U.S. Typhon missile-launcher system, while France plans to test a domestically developed alternative to the U.S. HIMARS system by the middle of this year.

Norwegian Minister of Defense Tore O. Sandvik said the acquisition would significantly strengthen the country’s defensive posture.

“The government’s priority is to rapidly strengthen Norway’s defense capabilities, and this acquisition will strengthen our ability to credibly deter potential adversaries,” Sandvik said in the government statement.

“Hanwha is the only supplier that meets all requirements for performance, delivery time, and cost framework,” Sandvik added.

Land-based long-range precision fire represents a new capability for the Norwegian armed forces. According to Sandvik, the Chunmoo acquisition is one of the largest investments ever made by the Norwegian army.

The choice followed a competition run by the Norwegian Defense Material Agency, which evaluated bids on operational performance, delivery schedules, and overall cost. Authorities concluded that the South Korean system could be delivered faster and at lower cost than the alternatives while meeting all technical requirements.

Norway had also examined the possibility of acquiring the U.S. High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, but ultimately determined that the Chunmoo system offered superior range options within the desired timeline.

European Production and Supply Security

Poland has already committed to the Chunmoo system and has signed a contract with Hanwha that includes local missile production. Norwegian officials said this arrangement would strengthen the security of supply for European users.

Hanwha plans to supply all European customers of the Chunmoo system, including Norway, with missiles produced in Poland. The Norwegian government said this production model reduces dependence on distant supply chains and supports the development of a European industrial base for long-range strike capabilities.

The deal also includes industrial cooperation agreements between Hanwha and Norwegian companies valued at 120 percent of the contract amount, according to the government. Norway’s Kongsberg, one of Europe’s largest missile system producers, is expected to be among the industrial partners.

🇳🇴🇰🇷Norway has today signed a contract with South Korean company Hanwha for the delivery of land-based long-range precision fires🤝

The contract was signed in Oslo and marks a major step in strengthening Norway’s defence capabilities and the Army’s operational power.

‘This is a… pic.twitter.com/4RHbxQGEca

— Norwegian Ministry of Defence (@Forsvarsdep) January 30, 2026

Under the agreement, Hanwha will deliver the launch systems in 2028 and 2029, enabling the Norwegian armed forces to begin training personnel and integrating the system into existing force structures. Missile deliveries are scheduled for 2030 and 2031, with the system expected to reach full operational status within four years.

Norwegian officials said the phased delivery schedule balances the need for rapid capability development with training and integration requirements.

Competition Details

The long-range strike competition was announced in November 2024 and included bids from KNDS, Rheinmetall, Hanwha, and a Saab/Boeing partnership. All bidders except the Saab/Boeing team submitted offers by the March 2025 deadline, according to the government.

KNDS was excluded from the competition in June 2025 after the Defense Material Agency concluded that the French-German firm did not meet the requirements for delivering a complete system.

The Ministry of Defense said it did not consider reopening the competition, warning that doing so would have created a significant risk of higher costs and delayed delivery.

After KNDS was removed, Hanwha’s Chunmoo system emerged as the only bid that met all operational, technical, and financial requirements. Norwegian authorities said the armed forces assessed that the South Korean system could be fielded more quickly and at lower cost than competing options from Europe or the United States.

Broader European Context

The Norwegian decision comes amid growing debate in Europe about the continent’s ability to deter Russia without direct U.S. military involvement.

A survey of security researchers and experts published in February 2025 found that Europe would need more than three years to build sufficient long-range strike capabilities as part of a broader set of critical enablers for independent deterrence.

Norway’s investment is seen by defense officials as a contribution to closing that capability gap, particularly in Northern Europe, where long distances and challenging terrain place a premium on extended-range precision fires.

By selecting the Chunmoo system, Norway joins Poland as one of the first European countries to adopt the South Korean platform, marking a further diversification of European defence procurement away from traditional U.S. and Western European suppliers.

The government said the acquisition supports both national defense priorities and broader European security objectives by enhancing deterrence, improving supply resilience, and accelerating the deployment of long-range precision strike capabilities.