Arms deal with Norway: Thyssenkrupp receives major submarine order

Arms deal with Norway
Thyssenkrupp receives major submarine order

After tough negotiations, Germany and Norway seal their joint billion-dollar project and order six submarines from Thyssenkrupp. The deal is intended not only to strengthen military cooperation between the two NATO partners, but also to secure numerous jobs.

After long negotiations, Germany and Norway agreed on an armaments project worth billions. Together they buy a total of six U212 family submarines from the German company ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. This was announced by the defense ministries of both countries. Two of the boats are destined for Germany, four for Norway. They are to be built in Kiel, delivery is to begin in 2029 – three years later than planned.

Thyssenkrupp 10.51

The Federal Ministry of Defense announced that the project would secure numerous high-quality jobs in Kiel and the surrounding area until the middle of the next decade. In addition, cooperation between the German and Norwegian navies will be strengthened. “With this step, Germany and Norway are jointly preparing the ground for possible further cooperation with numerous allies in the EU and NATO.”

The negotiations had already started in 2019 and were delayed due to the corona pandemic. Both sides have now also agreed on the procurement of missiles to arm the ships. The budget committee of the Bundestag still has to approve the entire project. According to the Norwegian news agency NTB, Norway expects a budget of around 45 billion kroner (4.4 billion euros) for its four submarines.

“I am very pleased that the negotiations are finished,” said Norway’s Defense Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen of the NTB. No official figures are yet known about the price of the two German submarines. Thyssenkrupp’s partner on the Norwegian side is Kongsberg Gruppen.

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