RESOURCE / PUBLIC SOURCE RECORD
Invest in Norway: Defence and space
- The page presents Norway as an allied/NATO investment destination for defence and security, with specialised capabilities complementing allied suppliers and an 80% export share. Competence areas listed: command/control/information/decision support/combat systems; systems integration; autonomous systems and AI; missiles; underwater technology; ammunition/propulsion/explosives; military materials; and lifecycle support.
- Defence innovation is described as a tripartite collaboration among industry, the Norwegian Armed Forces and Defence Research Establishment (FFI). ICEworx by FFI and NATO DIANA are cited as test/accelerator gateways. Innovation Norway offers guidance, market access/export-promotion tools and financial support; Industrial Cooperation Agreements can require countries buying defence equipment above a threshold to invest in Norwegian industry, with Innovation Norway helping obligors source projects and partnerships.
- Space section says Norway has 40+ space companies across satellite communications and specialised research equipment. It describes Andøya Spaceport, opened in 2023 and the first orbital launch site in continental Europe; page text says its first orbital launch was an Isar Aerospace Spectrum flight on 30 March 2025, from a site about 300 km within the Arctic Circle. It notes the US Technology Safeguards Agreement (January 2025), a Norwegian-German space-cooperation letter of intent (December 2024), NOK 365m in initial spaceport funding plus NOK 200m in 2024–25 defence-budget allocations for military use, and a goal of launching allied payloads for responsive space.
- Other space claims: Space Norway acquired Telenor Satellite in January 2024; the two-satellite Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission became operational in December 2024 with the Norwegian Ministry of Defence, Space Norway, US Space Force and Viasat; KSAT won a NASA Near Space Network communications contract; and the Armed Forces’ 2024–36 long-term plan provides for about NOK 600bn of increased defence expenditure over 12 years and new satellite systems. Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and EIDEL are cited in telecoms, earth observation and maritime surveillance; a linked article covers Isar Aerospace.
- Public contacts: Gard Madsen, Director of Investment, Oslo (gard.madsen@innovasjonnorge.no; +47 909 37 833); Karsten Glauning, Special Advisor, Defence and space, Hamburg (karsten.glauning@innovationnorway.no; +49 170 161 3060); and Lars Gogstad, Investment Manager, Oslo (lars.gogstad@innovasjonnorge.no; +47 918 20 007).
- No event listings or participation fees are shown on this page.