Companies
Norwegian ammunition manufacturer Nammo is positioned as a central industrial partner in a planned Norway–Ukraine agreement on the production of long-range artillery ammunition.
The proposed cooperation is intended to strengthen Ukraine’s defence capabilities and builds on industrial partnerships established since 2022.
AdvertisementPresident Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Sunday that Ukraine has entered into a new agreement with Norway covering the joint production of 155 mm artillery shells.
Nammo is expected to assume a leading role in the cooperation, according to information reported by Dagsavisen.
Neither the Norwegian Ministry of Defence nor Nammo has confirmed the agreement, citing pending formal clarifications. However, multiple sources indicate that it concerns a large-scale industrial project linked to sustaining ammunition supplies for the Ukrainian armed forces.
AdvertisementThe context is a persistent requirement for long-range artillery, with 155 mm systems forming a core element of both Ukrainian and wider Western military capabilities.
Builds on existing agreement
In 2024, Nammo agreed to licensed production of artillery shells in Ukraine in partnership with local defence industry actors. The arrangement referenced by Zelenskyy appears to extend and scale this cooperation.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Nammo has expanded production capacity significantly. The company supplies ammunition to several NATO countries and has reinforced its position within the European artillery ammunition supply chain.
AdvertisementThe 155 mm calibre is used across multiple systems, including Norway’s K9 VIDAR artillery platform. With a range exceeding 40 kilometres, the system is a central element of the Norwegian Army’s modernisation programme. Norway has ordered 52 units to replace legacy artillery.
Increasing Norwegian support to Ukraine
Since 2022, Norway has provided substantial support to Ukraine’s artillery capability through both deliveries and financing. According to Dagsavisen, more than 20 M109 self-propelled howitzers have been transferred, alongside spare parts, training and ammunition.
AdvertisementNorway has also delivered tens of thousands of 155 mm shells and contributed funding to multinational procurement initiatives. One such contribution totalled approximately NOK 1.6 billion to a European ammunition programme.
In parallel, funding from the Nansen programme has been used to expand domestic defence industrial capacity, with Nammo among the principal beneficiaries.
Not all deliveries are publicly disclosed, suggesting that the overall scale of Norwegian support may exceed reported figures.
AdvertisementIn brief
Nammo is being highlighted as a key actor in a proposed agreement between Norway and Ukraine on the production of 155 mm artillery ammunition.
The agreement has not been formally confirmed, but is described as extensive and important for Ukraine’s defence capability. The cooperation builds on a previous agreement on licensed production in Ukraine concluded in 2024.
Nammo has significantly increased its production capacity since 2022 and plays a central role in the European supply chain for artillery ammunition.
The shells are intended for use in systems such as the K9 VIDAR, which is also operated by the Norwegian Armed Forces.
Norway has already delivered substantial quantities of artillery materiel and ammunition to Ukraine, as well as financial support to international procurement programmes. Increased production at Nammo also forms part of Norway’s strategy to strengthen its defence industry through the Nansen Programme.
This article was first published in Defence Nordic's affiliate publication metalsupply.no.
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