Norway’s parliament approved a 19.5 billion Norwegian kroner ($2 billion) procurement of 16 South Korean K239 Chunmoo long-range rocket artillery systems on Tuesday, selecting it over the US HIMARS to bolster deterrence against Russia along its Arctic border. A formal contract signing is set for Friday in Oslo, according to industry sources cited by Yonhap News Agency. The Chunmoo system meets all Norwegian operational requirements, including strikes up to 500 kilometers, and offers the fastest delivery schedule among competitors, as reported by Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten. Conservative Party defence spokesman Peter Frölich emphasized during Tuesday’s parliamentary session the need for deep-strike capabilities to reach far into enemy territory. The deal includes an unspecified number of rockets and mandates 100 percent industrial offsets through technology transfer and partnerships with Norwegian firms, per Norway’s defence procurement rules. South Korea’s presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik is expected to attend the Friday signing. This purchase by Hanwha Aerospace marks a breakthrough in Europe and a setback for Lockheed Martin’s HIMARS, amid accelerated European defence investments.
